Bombus laesus
There are two subspecies belonging to Bombus laesus in Europe. The information given here is referred to that one present in Spain, the subspecies mocsaryi.
Bombus laesus is a medium size bumblebee. The pubescence of interalar band is black and has the circular outline. Rest of pubescence is brownish yellow. T6 and E6 may have some black hairs or may be entirely black.
In males the yellow color is paler and his hair is shorter than in females.
Length of queens: 16-19 mm.
Length of males: 13-15 mm.
It has not been evaluated.
No threats described.
The female's size is 16-19 mm, so it is medium sized. It shows long head, due to its squared malar gap. The labrum's tubercles are flat. The clipeum is as long as wide, provided with a dense and thin stipple. The apical impressions are well defined, narrow and formed by a big amount of pits, these last different sized. Forehead provided with a thin stipple in the later part, and bigger stipple in front. The shiny areas are well defined and are separated from the eyes by one line of thin stipple. On the hind legs, faltened, shiny, not crosslinked tibias; the basitarsus with a spiny later-distal angle. Apex of T6 slightly upturned. E6 with an oval contour.
Genitalia with the external prjections of the sting's case quite dilated in the upper zone, and the internal projections are wide, specially in the medium zone. All the pubescence of the body is yellow, except the strip between the wings, which is black. There is some black hair in T6 y E6, and it can cover the whole segment, so the yellow pubescence disappears.
Males are 13-15 mm long. Medium size, with a short and wide head, due to its squared malar gap. Jaws with beard medium long and dense. The antenna are long and thickened in the lower part. Medium basitarsus short and wide. On the hind legs, not much convex tibias, but shiny and with pubescence.
The genitaloa shows sagitae short and narrow, except in the basal zone, that are some wider; there don't have tooth. The squama are big and C-shaped. The color is similar to that of females, a little bit paler and shorter.
Bombus laesus is distributed throughout Western Europe and North Africa.
In the Iberian Peninsula, it is located in inland provinces of the peninsula from the northern half. Reaches 2200 meters.
Potential distribution map at the present time
Potential distribution map in 2050 with the same level of pollution emission and the climate changes consequence of these contamination levels
Map legend
Maps are made with GBIF data of this specie in Iberian Peninsula
Flight period: April - October.
Bombus laesus is a steppe species, which prefer open areas with low and sparse vegetation. It has collected about Asteraceae and Boraginaceae.
Rasmont noted its high association with Jurassic and Cretaceous calcareous soils.