Bombus alpinus

The Alps (Bombus alpinus ) is a bee in the genus of humble-bees ( Bombus). She is in Germany in the Red List of Threatened Species as " critically endangered " (Category 2 ) were reported.

Features

The animals reach a body length of 22 to 26mm ( Queen ), 14 to 16 mm ( worker ) or 15 to 17 mm ( drone ). Their wingspan is 32 to 36 mm ( Queen ), 22 to 26 mm ( worker ) or 23 to 26 mm ( drone ). Your bristly hairy body has a black color, the thorax has especially with drones often near the top of a gray collar. The third to sixth tergite on the abdomen has an orange -red color. You have similarity to the mountain forest bumblebee (Bombus wurflenii ), but differ by their larger and stronger physique and the second tergite of the abdomen, which is also colored orange in similar style. Her head is long, the proboscis of medium length.

Occurrence

The species occurs in the Alps at altitudes 1600-3100 meters.

Way of life

The Alps Hummel forms subterranean nests in abandoned mice nests with 100 to 150 individuals. Queens are from late April to late May in search of nesting sites. Workers occur from mid-May to end of September. Drones and the new generation of queens fly from mid-August to late September. The species is considered one of the Pollenstorern, which means that the collected pollen and nectar is stored in disused brood cells. Among the most important food plants include alpine helmet ( Bartsia alpina), Alpine thistle ( Cirsium spinosissimum ), Alpenrose (Rhododendron ferrugineum ), devil's claw ( Phyteuma ) and primrose (Primula ). The Queen can be seen in flight on a deep humming sound. After the founding nest, she flies even at temperatures around the freezing point.

Swell

• Eberhard von Hagen, Ambros Aichhorn: bumblebees. determine, settle, reproduce, protect. Fauna Verlag, Nottuln 2003, ISBN 3-935980-28-0