About Bombus pullatus Franklin, 1913
Bombus pullatus Franklin, 1913 is a tropical eusocial bumblebee species native to Mexico and Central America. Unlike many bumblebee species, its colonies contain multiple queens. Most populations of this species are located in the lowlands of Central America, with around 90% of its colonies found in Costa Rica. Despite this, the species has also been recorded at elevations over 3 km above sea level. Confirmed colony locations include Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and southern Mexico. Compared to Bombus pauloensis and Bombus transversalis, Bombus pullatus is considered a more basal member of the genus Bombus. Historically, Bombus pullatus and Bombus pauloensis have frequently been misidentified as each other in many museum and research collections. Molecular analysis methods such as DNA profiling are required to correctly distinguish and identify both species. Because of this misidentification issue, the IUCN has agreed to reject any data that places this species south of Panama.
