Species are grouped by commonality and and then listed alphabetically (by scientific name - left to right and top to bottom). Only female color forms are shown here - some with more than one color pattern; for some species other color patterns do exist. You can find more information here.  There is also an identification guide to females below.

Bumble bee illustrations: Paul Williams (identification and color patterns) and Elaine Evans (bee body design).

 

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Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)

Franklin's Bumble Bee - This species has not been detected since 2006 despite repeated efforts to find it; while hope still remains to find existing populations, it may be extinct.

Morrison's bumble bee - this species, found in eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, and Idaho in shrub steppe has experienced recent population declines on the edges of its' range.

The western bumble bee - This species has declined dramatically, particularly in western Oregon and western Washington - where detections are now very rare. It has also decreased in abundance in the intermountain west.

Franklin's bumble bee - Bombus franklini​

Morrison's bumble bee - Bombus morrisoni

Western bumble bee - Bombus occidentalis 

The western bumble bee (alternative color form - Rocky Mtns.) - This species has declined dramatically, particularly in western Oregon and western Washington - where detections are now very rare. It has also decreased in abundance in the intermountain west.

Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee - This species, dependent on other species of bumble bee to complete its' life cycle, has not been regularly detected throughout our region in the last 15 years. It is likely to be found in and near populations of the western bumble bee.

The common eastern bumble bee - This species is not native to the Pacific Northwest, but has been introduced by commercial agriculture. It has become established in NW Washington and SW British Columbia. We are tracking it carefully as it likely spreads throughout the region.

Western bumble bee - Bombus occidentalis ​

Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee - Bombus suckleyi​

Common eastern bumble bee - Bombus impatiens

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Most Common Species

Two-form bumble bee - Bombus bifarius. This species is very common in the mountains of our area. The black color form is found more westerly, and at lower elevations.

Two-form bumble bee - Bombus bifarius. This species is very common in the mountains of our area. The red color form is found more easterly, and at higher elevations.

Yellow bumble bee - Bombus fervidus. This species is relatively common throughout the region, the yellow color form most common east of the Cascades, and the dark color form west of the Cascades.

Two-form bumble bee - Bombus bifarius

Two-form bumble bee - Bombus bifarius

Yellow bumble bee - Bombus fervidus 

Yellow bumble bee - Bombus fervidus. This species is relatively common throughout the region, the yellow color form most common east of the Cascades, and the dark color form west of the Cascades.

The yellow head bumble bee - Bombus flavifrons. This species is common throughout our region; the red color form is more common to the east, and the black color form to the west.

The yellow head bumble bee - Bombus flavifrons. This species is common throughout our region; the red color form is more common to the east, and the black color form to the west.

Yellow bumble bee - B. fervidus (californicus) ​

Yellow head bumble bee - Bombus flavifrons ​

Yellow head bumble bee - Bombus flavifrons ​

Hunt's bumble bee - Bombus huntii. This species is one of the most common species east of the Cascades. It is uncommon west of the Cascades.

The black tailed bumble bee - Bombus melanopygus. This species is common throughout our region. It is found early in the season and often nests above ground in bird nests. The red color form is most common - the black color form only occurring in SW Oregon.

The black tailed bumble bee - Bombus melanopygus. This species is common throughout our region. It is found early in the season and often nests above ground in bird nests. The red color form is most common - the black color form only occurring in SW Oregon.

Hunt's bumble bee - Bombus huntii

Black tailed bumble bee - Bombus melanopygus ​

Black tailed bumble bee - Bombus melanopygus ​

The fuzzy horned bumble bee - this species is very small, and common throughout the region.

Yellow faced bumble bee - Bombus vosnesenskii. This species is very common in the western half of OR and WA - and absent from ID. It also has several close look-alike species, the obscure bumble bee, Van Dyke's bumble bee, and the indiscriminant cuckoo bumble bee.

​Fuzzy horned bumble bee - Bombus mixtus

Yellow faced bumble bee - Bombus vosnesenskii

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Locally Common Species

White shouldered bumble bee - Bombus appositus. This species is large and recognizable. Its hair is often orangish on its abdomen, and the hairs on its thorax is white.

Obscure bumble bee - Bombus caliginosus. This species is a close look-alike of one of the yellow faced bumble bee. This species is more likely to be found at lower elevations, and closer to the coast. It can be distinguished from the yellow faced bumble bee by having yellow hairs on its "belly".

Central bumble bee - Bombus centralis. This species has a small body size, and bright red and yellow colors. It is most common east of the Cascades.

White shouldered bumble bee - Bombus appositus

Obscure bumble bee - Bombus caliginosus

Central bumble bee - Bombus centralis

Fernald's cuckoo bumble bee - Bombus flavidus. This species, dependent on other species of bumble bee to complete its' life cycle. It is found in the nests of several other species. This species can be quite common in the later summer, with males often found foraging on goldenrod.

Brown-belted bumble bee - Bombus griseocollis. This species is large bodied and found in drier parts of our region, and sometimes west of the Cascades. The males of this species have large bulbous eyes.

Indiscriminant cuckoo bumble bee - Bombus insularis. This species, dependent on other species of bumble bee to complete its' life cycle, and can be found in the nests of several species of bumble bee.

Fernald's cuckoo bumble bee - Bombus flavidus (inc. B. fernaldae)

Brown belted bumble bee - Bombus griseocollis

Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee - Bombus insularis

Nevada bumble bee - Bombus nevadensis. This large bodied bumble bee is common throughout much of the eastern portion of the Northwest. The males have large bulbous eyes.

Red belted bumble bee - Bombus rufocinctus. This bumble bee has MANY different color forms. It can often be distinguished by a crescent of yellow on the second abdominal (tergal) segment.

Red belted bumble bee - Bombus rufocinctus. This bumble bee has MANY different color forms. It can often be distinguished by a crescent of yellow on the second abdominal (tergal) segment.

Nevada bumble bee - Bombus nevadensis

Red belted bumble bee - Bombus rufocinctus ​

Red belted bumble bee - Bombus rufocinctus ​

Half black bumble bee - Bombus vagans. This small-bodied bumble bee is common in ID and on the far eastern edges of WA and OR.

Van Dyke's bumble bee - Bombus vandykei. This species can be locally common. It has a separate color form not pictured here found in central WA. It can be distinguished from its close look-alike, the yellow faced bumble bee, by the yellow stripe on the abdomen. It is found on the third abdominal (tergal) segment, not the fourth.

Half black bumble bee - Bombus vagans

Van Dyke's bumble bee - Bombus vandykei ​

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Uncommon Species

Frigid bumble bee - Bombus frigidus. This species is found only at higher elevations of the region, and is more common at higher latitudes (in Canada).

The sitka bumble bee - Bombus sitkensis. This species is found along the coast ranges of Washington and Oregon, as well as in the Cascades. It can also be found in pockets of Idaho in the Rocky Mountains.

Forest bumble bee - Bombus sylvicola. This species is found at higher elevations in the Cascades and Rockies. It has long hair, but otherwise resembles several other species in our range - Hunt's bumble bee, the black tailed bumble bee, the two form bumble bee.

​Frigid bumble bee - Bombus frigidus

Sitka bumble bee - Bombus sitkensis

Forest bumble bee - Bombus sylvicola

Forest bumble bee - Bombus sylvicola. This species is found at higher elevations in the Cascades and Rockies. It has long hair, but otherwise resembles several other species in our range - Hunt's bumble bee, the black tailed bumble bee, the two form bumble bee.

Forest bumble bee - Bombus sylvicola ​

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 Pacific Northwest Identification Guide for Female Bumble Bees

This does not include all color patterns for every species, and is only for females. Click to download a .pdf of this file.