Bombus (Pyrobombus) lepidus Skorikov

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 : 55

51. Bombus (Pyrobombus) lepidus Skorikov

( Figs 104, 105 )

Bombus lepidus Skorikov, 1912:606 .

Bombus genitalis Friese, 1913:85 .

Bombus nursei var. tetrachromus Friese, 1918:85 (not of Cockerell, 1909:397 = B. kashmirensis Friese ).

Material examined. 8 queens, 321 workers, 115 males (IAB).

Distribution in North China. Primarily at the edge of the east Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, the Liupanshan mountains and the west Qinling mountains. Abundant at medium elevations of the Liupanshan mountains in southern Ningxia. Common at medium to high elevations of the Zhagana nature reserve, the Liancheng nature reserve, the Xinglongshan nature reserve and the Qilianshan nature reserve in western Gansu. Rare at medium elevations of the Maijishan forest park and the Xiaolongshan nature reserve in eastern Gansu, at medium to high elevations of the northern Qilianshan mountains in northwestern Gansu, and at medium elevations of the Luoshan nature reserve in central Niaxing. 64 localities ( Fig. 104 ) between 1049–3656 m (IAB).

Variation in North China. This species shows strong variation in the colour of the pale hair bands in China but shows little variation in North China ( Fig. 105 ).

Similar species in North China. This species is similar in its grey-banded colour pattern to B. impetuosus s. l. (see the key; Figs 65 , 105 ).

Distribution in China. Sichuan, Yunnan, Xizang, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia (IAB).

Forage plants. ASTERACEAE : Carduus acanthoides , Cirsium setosum , Ligularia sp., Saussurea sp., Sinacalia tangutica ; BORAGINACEAE : Lappula myosotis ; CONVOLVULACEAE : Ipomoea nil ; FABACEAE : Astragalus bhotanensis , Astragalus sp., Hedysarum gmelinii , Medicago sativa , Melilotus albus , M. officinalis , Oxytropis kansuensis , O. ochrocephala , Vicia unijuga ; GENTIANACEAE : Halenia elliptica ; GERANIACEAE : Geranium sp.; LAMIACEAE : Caryopteris divaricata , Dracocephalum heterophyllum , D. isabellae , Elsholtzia fruticosa , Lamium album , Nepeta prattii , Phlomis umbrosa , Salvia przewalskii , Salvia sp., Thymus mongolicus ; ONAGRACEAE : Chamerion angustifolium ; PAPAVERACEAE : Corydalis sp.; RANUNCULACEAE : Aconitum flavum , A. gymnandrum , A. leucostomum , Clematis akebioides , C. tangutica , Delphinium grandiflorum ; ROSACEAE : Potentilla fruticosa ; SCROPHULARIACEAE : Euphrasia pectinata , Pedicularis kansuensis , P. spicata , Pedicularis sp.

Figures

FIGURES 104 – 105. 104. Map showing the distribution of B. lepidus in North China with record as black spot, the province boundaries in dark grey, and all sites with records of all bumblebee species in light grey. 105. B. lepidus worker visiting Aconitum gymnandrum (Ranunculaceae) in Gansu.

FIGURES 64 – 65. 64. Map showing the distribution of B. impetuosus s. l. 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. 65. B. impetuosus s. l. worker visiting Saussurea stella (Asteraceae) in Gansu (PW).