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New Mexico Rare Arthropod Resource

The New Mexico Rare Arthropod Resource

 
Bombus suckleyi (Suckley Cuckoo Bumble Bee)  


Taxonomy

  • Class: INSECTA
  • Order: HYMENOPTERA
  • Family: APIDAE
  • Genus: Bombus
  • Scientific Name: Bombus suckleyi Greene, 1860
  • Common Name: Suckley Cuckoo Bumble Bee
  • Synonyms:

Taxonomic Name Source


Zoë Unruh ()
Species Occurrence Data From: Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Agency Conservation Status



  • SGCN
  • NMDGF:
  • USFWS:
  • BLM:
  • USFS:
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
  • Nature Serve Global: G2
  • NHNM State: SNR
  • NM Endemic NO


Agency Conservation Status



SGCN NMDGF USFWS BLM Status USFS IUCN
Red List		 Nature Serve
Global		 NHNM State NM Endemic
Critically Endangered G2 SNR NO


Description

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Bombus suckleyi is a medium-sized bumblebee species with a distinctive black body and pale yellow or white bands on its thorax and abdomen (Ascher and Pickering 2023). This species is a parasitic bumblebee, known for its cuckoo-like behavior, where it invades the nests of other bumblebee species (primarily in the Bombus fervidus and Bombus occidentalis complexes). It does not establish its own colonies, instead relying on other species for worker bees to rear its young (Goulson 2010). Unlike other bumblebees, Bombus suckleyi lacks the pollen baskets found in worker bumblebees, since it does not need to forage for pollen to provision its own nest (Williams et al. 2014).

Habitat and Ecology

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As a parasitic species, Bombus suckleyi depends on the presence of healthy populations of its host bumblebees to survive. The species has been known to parasitize nests of Bombus occidentalis, Bombus fervidus, and Bombus terricola (Williams et al. 2014). This bumblebee prefers open habitats such as grasslands, meadows, and forest edges where host species are abundant. Its lifecycle and behavior are closely tied to the health and availability of these host species' nests.

Geographic Range

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Bombus suckleyi was historically widespread across much of North America, particularly in the western United States and parts of Canada. However, the species has suffered significant range contractions in recent decades (Hatfield et al. 2014). Observations of this species are now rare, and it has become increasingly difficult to find in areas where it was once common, such as the Pacific Northwest, northern Great Plains, and mountainous regions of the western U.S. (Hatfield et al. 2014). In New Mexico, Bombus suckleyi has been reported, though records are few. Data indicate sporadic sightings, particularly in northern and higher elevation areas, such as near the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (GBIF.org 2024, iNaturalist 2024).

Conservation Considerations

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In 2020, this species was petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act (Center for Biological Diversity 2020). The species received a positive 90-day finding, which means the US Fish and Wildlife Service agrees listing may be warrented. Therefore, the species is "Under Review" and the status review process has been initiated (USFWS 2021).

Threats

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The decline of host species such as Bombus occidentalis due to factors like habitat destruction and diseases is a critical threat to Bombus suckleyi (Hatfield et al. 2014).

In addition, since 2000, the Southwest US has seen the worst drought in 1200 years (Williams et al. 2022). Drought can reduce the abundance of flowering plants on a landscape scale, and also reduce pollen and nectar quality (Wilson Rankin et al. 2020). Drought conditions have been shown to reduce the diversity and abundance of native bees (Hung et al. 2021, Minckley et al. 2013).

Population

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The population of Bombus suckleyi has experienced dramatic declines across its range, with many local populations presumed extinct (Williams et al. 2014). The current population is extremely fragmented, with only a few confirmed sightings in recent years across its historic range. The cause of these declines is likely linked to the decline of its host species, Bombus occidentalis, and other host species that have also suffered population decreases due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and disease (Williams et al. 2014).

References

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Links: