The Red-tailed bumble bee looks similar to the Red-shanked carder (Bombus ruderarius), only with a longer face and rounder abdomen. Male Red. Bumble bee species can be differentiated by the pattern of different-colored bands or body segments.
Looking at the bee's back from above and taking note of the color patterns from head to thorax is the most critical factor in identifying a specific species of bumble bee. These segments can be black, brown, buff, yellow, red, orange, or white. The bumble bee field guide can help you become familiar with the bumble bees in your region.
Using the head, thorax, and abdomen filters (choose the color patterns you observe on the bee you'd like to identify) you can about bumble bee identification, and when selecting a species you will about their ecology - range map, important host plants, and look. A bumble bee's thorax will generally be yellow or a mix of yellow and black. The amount and location of yellow/black hair on the thorax can help determine the identification of a species.
Bumble bees have stout, hairy, robust bodies - usually with black, yellow, and/or red coloration. Bumble bees are variable in size and color patterns, even within a single species, which can make identification challenging. While color variation makes identification difficult, the coloration and pattern of stripes on the abdomen and thorax are often used to distinguish one bumble bee species.
Similar in color, queen and worker bees wear a coat of short yellow and black hair, with standout flattened black hairs on their third tergal segment. Black hairs also mark the face and sides of the thorax. The bee's relative abundance and extent of occurrence (EOO) have significantly dwindled over the past decade.
Try to get different views of the bumblebee so you can clearly see the tail colour and the banding pattern as well as the other helpful features - legs, antenna, face shape and facial hair colour. Learn how to accurately identify bumble bee species with our comprehensive guide, covering characteristics, habitats, and identification tools. Get expert tips on distinguishing between similar species and the impact of climate change.
Bumblebee (Bombus spp.) American Bumblebee (Bombus pensylvanicus) Once common across much of North America, this large, fuzzy bumblebee is black with a single broad yellow band on its thorax and a mostly yellow abdomen. It favors open areas like fields and prairies but has declined in many regions due to habitat loss and pesticide exposure. Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) A highly.
The most common bumble bee color scheme is black and yellow, featuring broad black bands interspersed with yellow hair patches. But some species sport red, orange or white hair instead of yellow.