Yellow Bumble Bee, Bombus fervidus
Excerpted from Bumble Bees of Wisconsin
Not super common, this species is recognizable for being almost entirely yellow, except the last part of
their abdomen. Look for them in open fields and meadows.
Body hair medium length and even. Thorax mostly yellow, with a band of black hairs between the base
of wings. Occasionally, thorax is entirely yellow. First through forth abdominal segments fully yellow,
with segments 5-6 black. Queens distinctly larger than workers. Males usually with yellow hairs on the
face, forming a “beard” or “mustache” feature. Males also lack corbiculae, or the flattened midleg of
the hind leg used for transporting pollen.
-
Queen length: 19-21 mm
-
Female Worker length: 10 mm
-
Drone length: 11-20 mm
Relatively standard colony life cycle, but little is known about this species apart from historical records.
Look for queens emerging in May.
Historical records suggest that Bombus fervidus is found throughout Wisconsin, however more thorough
surveys are required.
Thistle
Bee Balm
Clover
Buzz Pollination
Slo-Mo Footage of a Bumble Bee Dislodging Pollen
Look Inside a Bumblebee Nest
How to Build a Bumble Bee House
Development of Colony and Nest in the Bumblebee