Bombus (Pyrobombus) modestus Eversmann

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 : 59

56. Bombus (Pyrobombus) modestus Eversmann

( Figs 114, 115 )

Bombus modestus Eversmann, 1852:134 .

Bombus Baïkalensis Radoszkowski, 1877:203 . Bombus nymphae Skorikov, 1910b:409 .

Material examined. 15 workers, 15 males (IAB).

Distribution in North China. Common at medium elevations of the Wulingshan nature reserve in Hebei. Rare at medium elevations of the Pangquangou nature reserve of the Lvliangshan mountains and at medium to high elevations of the Wutaishan forest park of the Taihangshan mountains in Shanxi, at medium elevations of the Huanggangliang forest park of the southernmost of the Great Khingan mountains in Neimenggu, at medium elevations of the Taibai nature reserve of the Qinling mountains in Shaanxi, and at medium elevations of the Liupanshan mountains in Ningxia. 13 localities ( Fig. 114 ) between 511–3056 m (IAB).

Similar species in North China. This species is similar in its yellow-grey colour pattern to some B. wangae (see the key; Figs 115 , 117 ).

Distribution in China. Hebei, Shanxi, Neimenggu, Jilin, Shaanxi, Ningxia (IAB).

Forage plants. ASTERACEAE : Cirsium leo , C. pendulum , Echinops sphaerocephalus ; FABACEAE : Lespedeza bicolor , Onobrychis viciifolia ; LAMIACEAE : Elsholtzia densa , E. stauntonii , Leonurus sibiricus ; ONAGRACEAE : Chamerion angustifolium .

Figures

FIGURES 114 – 115. 114. Map showing the distribution of B. modestus 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. 115. B. modestus male visiting Echinops sphaerocephalus (Asteraceae) in Neimenggu.

FIGURES 116 – 117. 116. Map showing the distribution of B. wangae 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. 117. B. wangae worker visiting Chamerion angustifolium (Onagraceae) in Gansu.