description Bombus insularis Overview
Bombus insularis is a North American cuckoo bumblebee, a social parasite in the genus Bombus and the group historically treated as the subgenus Psithyrus. A female enters a colony founded by another bumblebee species and uses the host workers and stored resources to rear her own offspring rather than building a normal worker-producing colony. Its broad host range distinguishes it from more host-specific cuckoo bumblebees.
help Bombus insularis FAQ
What is unusual about Bombus insularis?
Bombus insularis is a cuckoo bumblebee, meaning it is a social parasite. A female enters a colony founded by another bumblebee species and uses the host workers and stored food to rear her offspring.
Does Bombus insularis build its own worker force?
No. The female takes over or infiltrates an existing host colony instead of producing a normal worker generation of her own. Host workers then provide much of the labor and stored resources.
What does the name Psithyrus have to do with Bombus insularis?
Cuckoo bumblebees were historically treated as the subgenus Psithyrus within Bombus. Modern classifications commonly place them in Bombus while retaining the distinctive social-parasite lifestyle.
Is Bombus insularis a solitary bee?
No. It is a parasitic bumblebee that depends on the social colony of another Bombus species. Its breeding strategy is different from that of a solitary bee, which raises offspring without a colony of host workers.
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