The bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) of Arkansas, fifty years later
Author
Tripodi, Amber D.
Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA (aszalan @ uark. edu). & Current address: USDA-ARS, Pollinating Insects Research Unit, Logan, Utah 84322, USA (amber. tripodi @ ars. usda. gov).
Author
Szalanski, Allen L.
Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA (aszalan @ uark. edu).
text
Journal of Melittology
2015
2015-06-01
2015
50
1
17
http://dx.doi.org/10.17161/jom.v0i50.4834
journal article
10.17161/jom.v0i50.4834
2325-4467
Bombus
(
Thoracobombus
)
pensylvanicus
(De Geer)
‘American Bumble Bee’
Bombus pensylvanicus
[as
B
.
americanorum
(Fabricius)
] was listed as the “most widespread and common species” in the state in
Chandler & McCoy’s (1965)
study. Its statewide occurrence is much reduced today, although it remains widespread (
Fig. 1
). The contemporary occurrence of
B
.
pensylvanicus
(50%) is about one-third lower than its historic occurrence (82%,
Fig. 3
). Only a single record occurred in the period between our sampling intervals: Faulkner Co.,
September 6, 1976
. This state-level pattern reflects what has also been observed throughout the range of
B
.
pensylvanicus
, and many sources consider
B
.
pensylvanicus
to be a declining species (
Cameron
et al
., 2011
;
Colla & Packer, 2008
;
Colla
et al
., 2012
;
Grixti
et al
., 2009
). Although there are indications of a range-wide decline of
B
.
pensylvanicus
, it is likely that not all areas are reflecting the same shifts in abundance or occurrence. For example,
B
.
pensylvanicus
was abundant in the extreme south and western portions of its range (
Louisiana
,
Oklahoma
, and
Texas
) in recent surveys, although it was absent from much of the northern and eastern areas in which it was expected to occur (
Cameron
et al
., 2011
). Similarly,
B
.
pensylvanicus
was absent from the northern region of
Illinois
in recent surveys, although it was known from northern
Illinois
in historical records (
Grixti
et al
., 2009
). With contemporary records occurring throughout the state and in each ecoregion, we found no geographic pattern in the occurrences of
B
.
pensylvanicus
within
Arkansas
. This heterogeneity among regional studies highlights the utility of localized studies in determining the conservation status of species of interest.
GLOSSA LENGTH: Long (6.41 ±
0.58 mm
).
ADULT ACTIVE PERIOD: Late season with a long active period (82 days). Majority: late June through mid-September; Earliest: May 13; Latest: October 16.
PREFERRED PLANTS:
Baptisia alba
(wild white indigo,
Fabaceae
),
Vernonia
Schreb.
(ironweed,
Asteraceae
),
T
.
canadense
(
Canada
germander,
Lamiaceae
),
M
.
fistulosa
(wild bergamot,
Lamiaceae
),
A
.
esculentus
(okra,
Malvaceae
),
Solanum carolinense
Linnaeus
(Carolina horsenettle,
Solanaceae
),
Cirsium discolor
(Muhl. ex Willd.) Spreng.
(field thistle,
Asteraceae
),
S
.
azurea
(azure blue sage,
Lamiaceae
),
S
.
integrifolium
(wholeleaf rosinweed,
Asteraceae
),
V
.
villosa
(winter vetch,
Fabaceae
).