Bombus (Megabombus) bicoloratus Smith

An, Jiandong, Huang, Jiaxing, Shao, Youquan, Zhang, Shiwen, Wang, Biao, Liu, Xinyu, Wu, Jie & Williams, Paul H., 2014, The bumblebees of North China (Apidae, Bombus Latreille), Zootaxa 3830 (1), pp. 1-89 : 29

12. Bombus (Megabombus) bicoloratus Smith

( Figs 26, 27 )

Bombus bicoloratus Smith, 1879:132 .

Bombus kulingensis Cockerell, 1917:266 .

Bombus (Senexibombus) tajushanensis Pittioni, 1949:244 .

Material examined. 41 workers, 7 males (IAB).

Distribution in North China. Only in the Qin-Ba mountains in southern Shaanxi and southern Gansu. Common at low to medium elevations of the Changqing nature reserve, and the Fuping nature reserve in Shaanxi. Rare at medium elevations of the Baishuijiang nature reserve, the Maijishan forest park in Gansu, and the Tianhuashan nature reserve in Shaanxi. 13 localities ( Fig. 26 ) between 607–1754 m (IAB).

Similar species in North China. This species is similar in its red-tailed colour pattern to B. trifasciatus (see the key; Figs 21 , 27 ).

Distribution in China. Fujian, Guangdong, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu (IAB).

Forage plants. ASTERACEAE : Helianthus annuus ; BUDDLEJACEAE : Buddleja officinalis , Buddleja sp.; CLUSIACEAE : Hypericum sp.; FABACEAE : Campylotropis macrocarpa ; LAMIACEAE : Leonurus japonicus ; LYTHRACEAE : Lagerstroemia indica ; ONAGRACEAE : Oenothera biennis ; SAXIFRAGACEAE : Astilbe chinensis .

Figures

FIGURES 26 – 27. 26. Map showing the distribution of B. bicoloratus in North China with records as black spots, the province boundaries in dark grey, and all sites with records of all bumblebee species in light grey. 27. B. bicoloratus worker visiting Lagerstroemia indica (Lythraceae) in Shaanxi.

FIGURES 20 – 21. 20. Map showing the distribution of B. trifasciatus in North China with records as black spots, the province boundaries in dark grey, and all sites with records of all bumblebee species in light grey. 21. B. trifasciatus queen visiting Dahlia pinnata (Asteraceae) in Gansu.