Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 13, 2026

Bombus pomorum

The apple humble-bee or apple bumblebee is a species of bumblebee.

Last revised
Aug 13, 2026
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≈ 1 min
Length
273 w
Citations
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Source
Bombus pomorum
Bombus pomorum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
Subgenus: Thoracobombus
Species:
B. pomorum
Binomial name
Bombus pomorum
(Panzer, 1805)1

The apple humble-bee or apple bumblebee (Bombus pomorum) is a species of bumblebee.1

Description

This bumblebee is black with a red tail, an oblong head, and a long proboscis. The male has pale hairs on the collar, scutellum, and first tergite (abdominal segment).2 The queen has a body length between 20 and 22 mm (0.79 and 0.87 in), the worker around 14 mm (0.55 in), and the male 15 mm (0.59 in).3

Distribution

The apple humble-bee is found in western and central Europe and western Turkey, from northern France to the Perm region in Russia. Its reach is declining and once had a much wider distribution.4 It was once present in the United Kingdom and was found once in Kent recently, but it is doubtful it is still established there.2

Ecology

This species is mainly found in wood-edges and open fields. The Turkish subspecies B. p. canus, however, lives on more or less alpine steppes at altitudes between 1,600 and 3,500 m (5,200 and 11,500 ft).5

References

References

  1. "Bombus pomorum (Panzer, 1805)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  2. Benton, Ted (2006). "Appendix 1: Species Considered Extinct in Britain". Bumblebees. London, UK: HarperCollins Publishers. pp. 529–530. ISBN 0007174519.
  3. "Obsthummel – Bombus pomorum" (in German). Wildbienen. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  4. Pierre Rasmont. "Bombus (Thoracobombus) pomorum (Panzer, 1805)". Université de Mons. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  5. Pierre Rasmont. "Bombus (Thoracobombus) pomorum (Panzer, 1805)". Atlas Hymenoptera – Bombus of Turkey. Université de Mons. Retrieved 4 February 2013.