Montana Field Guide

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Montana Field Guides

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- Kingdom - Animals - Animalia
  - Phylum - Spiders, Insects, and Crustaceans - Arthropoda
    - Class - Insects - Insecta
      - Order - Sawflies / Wasps / Bees / Ants - Hymenoptera
        
        Family - Bumble, Honey, Carpenter, Stingless, & Orchid Bees - Apidae
        
        Species - Two-form Bumble Bee Complex - Bombus bifarius Complex

Two-form Bumble Bee Complex - Bombus bifarius Complex

Other Names: Bombus vancouverensis, Bombus vancouverensis nearcticus, Bombus bifarius

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Native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: SNR

Agency Status
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USFS:
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General Description

Ghisbain et al. (2020) describe a Bombus bifarius Complex which includes Bombus vancouverensis nearcticus in Montana, Bombus vancouverensis vancouverensis on Vancouver Island and the surrounding islands of the Salish Sea, and Bombus bifarius which genetically does not occur in Montana (only in northeastern Utah and northern Colorado), but which cannot be distinguished morphologically from Bombus vancouverensis nearcticus across at least southern Montana.

Data submissions for the following taxa are all currently managed under Bombus vancouverensis: Bombus vancouverensis, Bombus nearcticus, Bombus vancouverensis nearcticus, Bombus bifarius, and Bombus bifarius Complex.

Stewardship Responsibility

References

Literature Cited AboveLegend: View Online Publication
- Ghisbain, G., J.D. Lozier, S.R. Rahman, B.D. Ezray, L. Tian, J.M. Ulmer, S.D. Heraghty, J.P. Strange, P. Rasmont, H.M. HInes. 2020. Substantial genetic divergence and lack of recent gene flow support cryptic speciation in a colour polymorphic bumble bee (Bombus bifarius) species complex. Systematic Entomology. 45, 635–652.
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Citation for data on this website:
Two-form Bumble Bee Complex — Bombus bifarius Complex. Montana Field Guide. Montana Natural Heritage Program. Retrieved on February 24, 2026, from https://FieldGuide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=IIHYM24070