| Bombus polaris | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Genus: | Bombus |
| Subgenus: | Alpinobombus |
| Species: | B. polaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Bombus polaris Curtis, 1835 |
|
Bombus polaris is an Arctic bumblebee species.
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The bumblebee has a circumpolar distribution, found in Canada, arctic Alaska, Arctic islands (Devon Island, Ellesmere Island, Baffin Island and Greenland), northern Scandinavia and Russia (Nenets, Yamalo-Nenets, Sakha and Chukotka).[1]
The bumblebee has dense fur that slows heat loss. The colouration is variable, but most often the thorax is black with orange-yellow edges, while most of the abdomen is orange-yellow, sometimes with a black tip. These bumblebees also have a higher abdominal temperature than its temperate cousins.[2]
Bombus polaris is predated upon by another, cleptoparasitic bumblebee, Bombus hyperboreus, which takes over the nests in cuckoo bumblebee fashion.[3]
Bombus polaris has a major part in the pollination of vegetation in the Arctic. Some plants they pollinate include arctic poppies, Arctic roses, and Arctic willows. These bees move their muscles quickly to warm their bodies. Enemies include Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Common Eiders, and Long-tailed Ducks.[4]