Bombus pensylvanicus
| Bombus pensylvanicus | |
|---|---|
| Queen in Hanover County, VA | |
| Male in Illinois, US | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Genus: | Bombus |
| Subgenus: | Thoracobombus |
| Species: | B. pensylvanicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Bombus pensylvanicus (De Geer, 1773) | |
| The general range of Bombus pensylvanicus. (Dashed line indicates former range) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Bombus pensylvanicus, the American bumblebee, is a threatened species of bumblebee native to North America. It occurs in eastern Canada, throughout much of the Eastern United States, and much of Mexico.
Once the most prevalent bumblebee in the southern United States, populations of Bombus pensylvanicus have decreased significantly in recent years, including in its scientific namesake state of Pennsylvania, where its numbers are considered critically low. Overall, the population dropped nearly 90% in just the first two decades of the 21st century.
Bombus pensylvanicus tends to live and nest in open farmland and fields. It feeds on several food plants, favoring sunflowers and clovers, and functions as a pollinator.