About Bombus hypocrita Pérez, 1905
Bombus hypocrita Pérez, 1905, commonly called the short-tongued bumblebee, is a bumblebee species native to Japan that is frequently used for commercial pollination. As its common name suggests, this species has a proboscis (mouthpart for feeding) that is around 7 to 9 millimeters long, which folds under the head when the bee is in flight. Like other bumblebees, Bombus hypocrita is a small, fuzzy insect with yellow and black bands along its abdomen. It has a rounded body covered in pile, the hair-like structures that create the characteristic fuzzy bumblebee appearance. Bombus hypocrita is one of the most widespread and common native bumblebees in Japan, found across the entire country. This species prefers to forage in open, sunny locations, and nests underground, most often in abandoned rodent dens. Individual bees can travel more than 800 meters to forage for food.
