About Bombus humilis Illiger, 1806
Bombus humilis Illiger, 1806, commonly called the brown-banded carder bee, is a medium-sized bumblebee with a relatively long tongue. Queens measure 16–18 mm (0.63–0.71 in) in length, while workers range from 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long. The top of the thorax is usually yellow-orange with beige flanks, though it may also be dark brown. Most of the abdomen is also beige, with a faint striped pattern. Reproductive female queens and workers usually have a broad, dark brown band on the front upper side of the abdomen, which gives the species its common name. This band may be absent in some workers. A small number of black hairs, sometimes only one or two, grow on the thorax near the wing bases. Males have a similar appearance to queens, but do not have stings and have longer antennae. This species prefers large open grasslands. In Central Asia, it is an alpine species that lives at altitudes between 3,000–3,900 m (9,800–12,800 ft). Plants it commonly visits include Trifolium pratense (red clover), Centaurea (knapweed), and Vicia (vetches).
