It’s hard to miss a Nevada Bumble Bee—they are massive. Workers range from .7 to .8 inches in length, while queens can be as large as an inch. They have a long proboscis (tongue) and short, dense fur. They are found throughout western North America in open grassy prairie, sagebrush steppe, and montane meadows, usually at lower elevations but reaching above treeline. The queens hibernate underground, sometimes with several queens sharing the same hibernaculum (underground space where they overwinter).
Size: Queens 24-25 mm in length, workers 15-21 mm.
Photo by: Kristi DuBois on 6/1/22 in Missoula, MT