Bombus fraternus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Bombus fraternus is an endangered species of bumblebee known commonly as the Southern Plains bumblebee. It is native to the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. It is most often encountered in the southern Great Plains and along the Gulf Coastal Plain. This species has been found as far north as New Jersey and North Dakota, and as far south as Florida along the Gulf Coastal Plain into the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. This species was uncommon historically, but having faced declines in population; its estimated abundance is less than 15% of historical numbers.
Bumblebees are members of the genus Bombus within the insect order Hymenoptera and family Apidae. Bombus fraternus was first described by Frederick Smith in 1854. The southern plains bumble bee is classified under the subgenus Cullumanobombus.
The southern plains bumblebee is mostly black, with yellow bands across the thorax and abdomen that distinguish it from other bumblebees. This species is large in comparison to other bumblebees and is unusual among bumblebees because the hairs of the abdomen appear flattened rather than fluffy like most other bumblebees. Queens range in size from 0... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
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More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Plains Bumble Bee sighting in Denver on a given day, based on 37 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 135th most-seen of the 461 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August to October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Plains Bumble Bee in Denver on a given day, against under 5% in November to July, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Plains Bumble Bee sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Southern Plains Bumble Bee sightings, Denver has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Dallas (United States, under 5%).
Same genus: Bombus
The closest relatives of the Southern Plains Bumble Bee that you can see in Denver (genus Bombus, Bumble Bees) are Hunt's Bumble Bee (about 20%), Golden Northern Bumble Bee (about 20%) and Brown-Belted Bumble Bee (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Plains Bumble Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Denver (37 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
