Bombus (Megabombus) consobrinus Dahlbom

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 : 32-33

17. Bombus (Megabombus) consobrinus Dahlbom

( Figs 36, 37 )

Bombus consobrinus Dahlbom, 1832:49 .

Material examined. 7 queens, 142 workers, 105 males (IAB).

Distribution in North China. Primarily in the Taihangshan mountains, the Yanshan mountains, and the edge of the east Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Common at medium elevation of the Baicaopan nature reserve and the Lingshan nature reserve in Beijing, at medium elevation of the Wulingshan nature reserve in Hebei, and at medium to high elevations of the Wutaishan forest park in Shanxi. Rare at medium to high elevations of the Qilianshan nature reserve, the Liancheng nature reserve, the Lianhuashan nature reserve, the Zhagana nature reserve of the east Qinghai-Tibetan plateau in Gansu, the Liupanshan nature reserve of the loess plateau in southern Ningxia, at medium elevations of the Huanggangliang forest park, and at low elevations of the Hulunbeir grasslands in Neimenggu. 53 localities ( Fig. 36 ) between 315–3279 m (IAB).

Similar species in North China. This species is similar in its brown colour pattern with a white tail to B. hypnorum and workers of B. festivus (see the key; Figs 37 , 101 , 143 ).

Distribution in China. Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Neimenggu, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang (IAB).

Forage plants. Carduus acanthoides , Cirsium leo , C. setosum , Cosmos bipinnatus , Helianthus annuus , Ixeridium sonchifolium , Saussurea sp.; CRASSULACEAE : Orostachys fimbriata ; LAMIACEAE : Dracocephalum heterophyllum , Elsholtzia ciliata , E. fruticosa , E. stauntonii , Leonurus sibiricus , Phlomis umbrosa , Salvia sp.; MALVACEAE : Malva cathayensis ; RANUNCULACEAE : Aconitum barbatum , A. kusnezoffii , Clematis tangutica , Trollius chinensis ; ROSACEAE : Potentilla chinensis . This species is known in northern Europe to be monolectic ( Loken, 1973) but in North China it collects both nectar and pollen from multiple plant species.

Figures

FIGURES 36 – 37. 36. Map showing the distribution of B. consobrinus 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. 37. B. consobrinus woker visiting Aconitum barbatum (Ranunculaceae) in Hebei.

FIGURES 100 – 101. 100. Map showing the distribution of B. hypnorum 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. 101. B. hypnorum worker visiting Ligularia sp. (Asteraceae) in Gansu.

FIGURES 142 – 143. 142. Map showing the distribution of B. festivus 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. 143. B. festivus worker visiting Alcea rosea (Malvaceae) in Gansu.