Bombus (Megabombus) argillaceus (Scopoli, 1763)

Boustani, Mira, Rasmont, Pierre, Dathe, Holger H., Ghisbain, Guillaume, Kasparek, Max, Michez, Denis, Müller, Andreas, Pauly, Alain, Risch, Stefan, Straka, Jakub, Terzo, Michael, Achter, Xavier Van, Wood, Thomas J. & Nemer, Nabil, 2021, The bees of Lebanon (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), Zootaxa 4976 (1), pp. 1-146 : 106-107

Bombus (Megabombus) argillaceus (Scopoli, 1763) ( fig. 27.2 )

Distribution: PALAEARCTIC: Eastern Mediterranean distribution, stretching north to Czech Republic (Rasmont & Iserbyt 2010–2014) east to Russia, and south to Israel ( Ascher & Pickering 2021).

Widespread in Lebanon from sea level to 2500 m of altitude and found in a wide range of habitats ( Boustani et al. 2020). Local distribution fig. 17.3

Unpublished records. BDFGM: 1938, sex unknown, Reinig WF; Bcharre, VI.1977, 1♀, det. Campo & Rasmont, KLZR, coll . OOLL (mentioned in Boustani et al. 2020).

Material examined. Mount Lebanon: Dahr Al Baydar , 17.VII.1973, 1 W, Sawfar , 1973, 1W, Bhamdoun, 28.IV.1975, 1♀, all coll. AUB; Arsoun, 2.V.2016, 1♀, leg. Boustani M., Kyrk S; Aintoura, Bkerki Valley, 8.V.2017, 1♀, leg. Nemeth T., all coll. MBOU. Additional 5W and 9♂ from 6 records collected between 14.VI.2017, and 15.VIII.2019, from Baskinta, Qornayel, Akoura, Mazraat Al Daher, Souk El Ghareb, and Maaser Al Chouf .

N. Lebanon: Horch Ehden , 1567 m, 19.VI.2016, 1♀, leg. Boustani M.; Arz Bcharre, 1928 m, 20.VI.2016, 1♀, leg. Boustani M., all coll. MBOU. Additional 10♀, 37W, and 12♂ from 36 records, collected between 2.V.2017 and 31.VII.2019, from Horch Ehden, Hadath El Jebbeh, Harissa, Horch Ehden, Arz Bcharre, Arz Tannourine, Horch Ehden, Bcharre, and Qanat .

S. Lebanon: Hilaliyah , 6.IV.1975, 1♀; Nahr Al Zahrani, 8.VI.1985, 1W, leg. Usayran W., all coll. AUB .

Flower records. Asteraceae : Centaurea solstitialis ; Caprifoliaceae : Cephalaria setosa Caryophyllaceae : Dianthus strictus ; Fabaceae : Ononis natrix , Phlomis chrysophylla , Vicia canescens , Vicia tenuifolia , Vicia villosa ; Lamiaceae : Marrubium libanoticum , Salvia microstegia , Scutellaria brevibracteata , Stachys ehrenbergii ; Plantaginaceae : Linaria aucheri ; Ranunculaceae : Delphinium ithaburense .

Figures

FIGURE 17. Local distribution maps of material examined and literature of 1 Anthophora rogenhoferi, 2 Habropoda tarsata, 3 Bombus argillaceus, 4 Bombus melanurus, 5 Bombus niveatus, 6 Bombus terrestris.

FIGURE 27. 1 Melecta obscura simulatrix♂, 2 Bombus argillaceus♀, 3 Bombus terrestris calabricus♀, 4 Bombus terrestris calabricus♂. All pictures by Pierre Rasmont.