About Bombus fervidus (Fabricius, 1798)
Description and identification: Bombus fervidus has an average body length of 13–16 mm. Queens, workers, and drones show slight morphological differences from one another. The first four abdominal tergites are yellow. The occiput and face are black, and the pleurae are yellow, extending to or nearly to the leg bases. A black band is present between the wing bases. The wings are dark to dark grey, and the body hairs are thick. B. fervidus is a long-tongued bumblebee that specializes on flowers with long corollas, using its long tongue to extract nectar and pollen from these flowers. Males have slightly more yellow coloration on their abdomen, and are difficult to distinguish from B. pensylvanicus and B.californicus. Males have a wingspan of 22 mm, while female workers have a wingspan of 40 mm. Distribution and habitat: B. fervidus is native to Canada, Mexico, and the continental United States. Individuals belonging to its genetic lineage have a broader distribution than was previously suspected. The species prefers temperate savanna, grassland, and tall grass biomes. It readily coexists with suburban or agricultural developments, and is common in grazing farmlands.
