Unsure of species. Have never seen a bee with a white tail here. Maybe a Bombus sandersoni?
Bombus terricola? Observed at around 4,500 ft elevation. There are several B terricola records at nearby Mt Mitchell
Photo #7 millimeter scale
On Arctostaphylos pumila 2.5 miles from shore at Marina on the Monterey Bay
Netted and chilled to 5°C for photos. Released within 20 minutes on same manzanita.
This worker was one of three western bumblebees found along Butte Creek in the BLM Forks of the Butte recreation area, Forest Ranch, Butte County. Foraging on clematis.
This worker was one of three western bumblebees found along Butte Creek in the BLM Forks of the Butte recreation area. The grey/buff tail doesn’t show up very well in the photos. Foraging on woolly mullein.
This large gyne (new queen?) was one of three western bumblebees found along Butte Creek in BLM Forks of the Butte recreation area, Butte County, CA. She was foraging on clematis.
Either this or B. insularis. On gard3n Rudbeckia glausecens, from seed collected 2 miles away.