EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Black-tailed Bumblebee

Black-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus melanopygus), Family Apidae
Oregon, USA

Explanation:  Yes, this black-tailed bumblebee has a ... black tail.  But more than that, it is part of an important suite of insects that serve as critical pollinators of native species of plants.  

The black-tailed bumblebee is native to western North America, being fairly common, and being one of the first bumblebee species to emerge in the spring.  

The Bumble Bee Atlas notes that, in Washington and Oregon states, its main habitats consist of meadow and grassland, woodland and forest, riparian and streamside areas, and even developed environments such as along roadsides.  And it is associated with a wide variety of plant species, mostly rhododendron, lupines, and brambles such as blackberries and raspberries.