Bombus vagans, M, Side, NY, Franklin County
A series of pictures of a queen and a male of the northernish bumble bee Bombus vagans. Still a reasonable common component of northern Appalachian systems, its been retreating from its lower elevation and southern edges over the last century. Whether the issues are climate change or the myriad of other factors that control what critter occurs in what place is hard to come to firm conclusions. In any case these came from a collecting expedition and Bioblitz in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Note the long face and the first 2 abdomominal segments with yellow hairs. Plush! Photographs by Brooke Alexander.
Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all
Ye know on earth and all ye need to know
" Ode on a Grecian Urn"
John Keats. Original public domain image from Flickr