About Bombus medius Cresson, 1863
Bombus medius is a species of bumblebee. It is native to Mexico and Central America. This species inhabits lower montane rainforest and cloud forest. It occurs in protected areas that hold natural forest remnants in landscapes where broader habitat loss has occurred. It is not found in surrounding areas where intensive agriculture has expanded. Additional habitat loss for this species is caused by logging, mining, pollution, and human settlement. A small number of nests have been discovered in overgrown areas that were previously cleared for agriculture. This bee builds its nests underground in very shallow holes. It may reuse abandoned rodent burrows, sometimes burrows that contain existing debris. Colonies of Bombus medius are small; one recorded nest documented in literature held only 27 workers. The species' eggs and larvae develop on a bed of moist pollen. After young bees emerge from their cocoons, the empty old cocoon shells are enlarged with wax and repurposed to store honey.
