Changeable bumblebee
| Changeable bumblebee | ||||||||||||
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Changeable bumblebee |
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| Bombus humilis | ||||||||||||
| Illiger , 1806 |
The variable bumblebee ( Bombus humilis , Syn . : Megabombus humilis ) is a common type of bumblebee ( Bombus ). The German name refers to the numerous color variants, because of which it can also be easily confused. It is parasitized by the field cuckoo bumblebee ( Bombus (Psithyrus) campestris ) .
features
The body length of the queen is 16-18 mm, the worker 9-15 mm and the male 12-14 mm. The wingspan of the female is 30–32 mm, that of the worker 20–28 mm and the male 23–27 mm. Your head is long. The upper side of the thorax and abdomen can be black, brownish or whitish and these colors are often combined. Therefore it is hardly possible to describe typical colors. Different color variants can even appear next to each other in the same nest. Brownish color variants can in particular be confused with the Mooshummel ( Bombus muscorum ) and the field bumblebee ( Bombus pascuorum ). Ultimately, a reliable distinction is only possible through microscopic examination of prepared specimens.
Occurrence and habitat
The occurrence of Bombus humilis extends to most of Europe west of Russia, with the exception of Ireland and Iceland. It is also found in Turkey, Tibet and northern China. The changeable bumblebee lives mainly in open landscapes outside the settlement areas, for example on the edges of forests and adjacent (orchard) meadows, embankments and roadsides, but also in gardens and parks. The species is widespread in Central Europe, but not common and has to be classified as endangered due to regional decline tendencies. On the nationwide Red List of Endangered Species of 1998, Bombus humilis is on the warning list.
Way of life
The species flies from April to October. The nests are preferably created above ground in the herb layer under tufts of grass and moss cushions (nest builders), rarely in tree hollows or mouse nests (there nest-makers). The nest size is 50 to 120 animals.
Variable bumblebees are polylectical, so they gather their food from different plant families. Known honey plants are Günsel , Taubnesseln , ballota , knapweed , motherwort , red u. White clover , horn clover , sweet peas , fence vetch , thistles , comfrey , laburnum , balsam , wild roses , chestnuts , fruit trees, etc. Berry bushes , alfalfa , sedum plant , meadow sage , meadow knautie , broad-leaved flat pea and chicory .
It is a long-nosed bumblebee species and is considered a pocket maker , which means that it stores the pollen in specially created pockets.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ Andreas Müller, Albert Krebs, Félix Amiet: Bees. Central European species, way of life, observation . Naturbuch Verlag, Augsburg 1997, ISBN 3-89440-241-5 . , P. 316f.
- ↑ Distribution map of Bombus humilis at www.discoverlife.org .
- ↑ Heiko Bellmann : bees, wasps, ants. Hymenoptera of Central Europe . 1st edition. Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart 1995, ISBN 3-440-09690-4 .
- ↑ Red list at the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) ( Memento of the original from March 1, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 458 kB).
- ↑ Changeable Bumblebee on pollenhoeschen.de .
literature
- Heiko Bellmann : bees, wasps, ants. Hymenoptera of Central Europe. Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co KG, Stuttgart 1995, ISBN 3-440-09690-4 .
- Eberhard von Hagen, Ambros Aichhorn: Bumblebees. determine, settle, multiply, protect. Fauna Verlag, Nottuln 2003, ISBN 3-935980-28-0 .
- Andreas Müller, Albert Krebs, Felix Amiet: Bees. Central European species, way of life, observation. Naturbuch-Verlag, Augsburg 1997, ISBN 3-89440-241-5 .
