Cuckoo bumblebees are members of the subgenus ''Psithyrus'' in the

bumblebee A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gene ...

genus ''

Bombus A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gene ...

''. Until recently, the 28 species of ''Psithyrus'' were considered to constitute a separate genus. They are a specialized socially parasitic lineage which parasitises the nests of 'true' bumblebees, resulting in the loss of the ability to collect

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametop ...

and establish their own nests. Cuckoo bumblebees do not create a worker caste and produce only male and female reproductives. They are considered

inquilines In zoology, an inquiline (from Latin ''inquilinus'', "lodger" or "tenant") is an animal that lives commensally in the nest, burrow, or dwelling place of an animal of another species. For example, some organisms such as insects may live in th ...

in the colonies of 'true' bumblebees. Cuckoo bumblebee females emerge from hibernation later than their host species to ensure that their host has had sufficient time to establish a nest. Before finding and invading a host colony, a ''Psithyrus'' female feeds directly from flowers until her ovaries are sufficiently developed, at which time she begins seeking a nest to invade. Once she has located and infiltrated a host colony, the ''Psithyrus'' female usurps the nest by killing or subduing the host queen. She then lays her own eggs, exploiting the host workers to feed her and her developing young through pheromones and/or physical attacks.

Selected species

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Bombus ashtoni ''Bombus ashtoni'' is a species of cuckoo bumblebee. This means that it parasitizes closely related species such as ''Bombus affinis ''Bombus affinis'', commonly known as the rusty patched bumble bee, is a species of bumblebee endemic to North ...

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Bombus barbutellus ''Bombus barbutellus'', or Barbut's cuckoo-bee, is a species of cuckoo bumblebee, widespread, if not especially common, in most of Europe. Description The species is a medium-length bumblebee with a body length of for the female and for th ...

'' *''Bombus bellardii'' * ''

Bombus bohemicus ''Bombus bohemicus'', also known as the gypsy's cuckoo bumblebee, is a species of socially parasitic cuckoo bumblebee found in most of Europe with the exception of the southern Iberian Peninsula and Iceland. ''B. bohemicus'' practices inquilinis ...

'' *''Bombus branickii'' * ''

Bombus campestris ''Bombus campestris'' is a very common cuckoo bumblebee found in most of Europe. Description The bumblebee is of medium length, the queen having an average length of , and the male . The fur of the queen is quite thin on the dorsal (upper) si ...

'' *''Bombus chinensis'' * ''

Bombus citrinus ''Bombus citrinus'' is a species of bumblebee known commonly as the lemon cuckoo bumblebee due to its lemon-yellow color. It is native to eastern North America.Hatfield, R., et al. 2014''Bombus citrinus''.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ...

'' *''Bombus coreanus'' * ''

Bombus cornutus ''Bombus cornutus'' is a species of cuckoo bumblebee. References Bumblebees Insects described in 1933 {{bombus-stub ...

'' *''Bombus expolitus'' * ''

Bombus fernaldae ''Bombus fernaldae'', the Fernald's cuckoo bumblebee, is a species of cuckoo bumblebee having only males and queens, but no worker bees. The females place their eggs in the nest of the confusing bumblebee (''Bombus perplexus'') or the red-belted ...

'' *''Bombus ferganicus'' * ''

Bombus flavidus ''Bombus flavidus'' is a species of cuckoo bumblebee found in Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Centr ...

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Bombus insularis ''Bombus insularis'' is a species of bumblebee in the subgenus ''Psithyrus'', the cuckoo bumblebees. It is native to northern and western North America, where it occurs throughout Canada, Alaska, the northern United States, and some western stat ...

'' *''Bombus monozonous'' *''Bombus morawitzianus'' *''Bombus norvegicus'' * ''

Bombus quadricolor ''Bombus quadricolor'' is a species of cuckoo bumblebee. The bumblebee is present in most of Europe except Britain, Ireland, and Iceland. It is also found in Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Tü ...

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Bombus rupestris ''Bombus rupestris'' is a species of cuckoo bumblebee present in most of Europe except Iceland. In the Balkans it is found in montane and alpine habitats northwards from Central Greece. It is also found in Turkey. Description The female is much ...

'' *''Bombus skorikovi'' * ''

Bombus suckleyi ''Bombus suckleyi'' is a species of bumblebee known commonly as Suckley's cuckoo bumblebee, named after biologist George Suckley.NatureServe. 2015''Bombus suckleyi''.NatureServe Explorer Version 7.1. Accessed 10 March 2016. Suckley's bumble bee ...

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Bombus sylvestris ''Bombus sylvestris'', known as the forest cuckoo bumblebee or four-coloured cuckoo bee, is a species of cuckoo bumblebee, found in most of Europe and Russia. Its main hosts are ''Bombus pratorum'', ''Bombus jonellus'', and ''Bombus monticola''. ...

'' *''Bombus tibetanus'' *''Bombus turneri'' * ''

Bombus variabilis ''Bombus variabilis'' is a critically endangered species of cuckoo bumblebee. ''B. variabilis'' is a parasitic species. Females kill and replace the queens of '' B. pensylvanicus'', taking over their nests in the process. The decline of the la ...

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Bombus vestalis ''Bombus vestalis'', the vestal cuckoo bumblebee, is a species of cuckoo bumblebee that lives in most of Europe, as well as North Africa and western Asia. It is a brood parasite that takes over the nests of other bee species. Its primary host i ...

Gallery

Bumblebee January 2008-4.jpg, ''

'' Psithyrus insularis.jpg, ''

'' Bombus rupestris - Trifolium pratense - Keila.jpg, ''

'' Bombus norvegicus - Veronica spicata - Keila.jpg, ''

Bombus norvegicus ''Bombus norvegicus'' is a species of cuckoo bumblebee Cuckoo bumblebees are members of the subgenus ''Psithyrus'' in the bumblebee genus ''Bombus''. Until recently, the 28 species of ''Psithyrus'' were considered to constitute a separate gen ...

'' Bombus sylvestris male - Cirsium palustre - Keila.jpg, ''

Selected species

Gallery

References

Further reading