Bombus dahlbomii
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
Bombus dahlbomii, also known as the moscardón (or mangangá, from Guarani: mamanga), is a species of bumblebee endemic to southern South American temperate forests. B. dahlbomii is one of the largest bee species in the world, with matured queens growing up to 40 mm (1.6 in) long. Because of its size and furry appearance, the species has been described as "flying mice" colloquially, and "a monstrous fluffy ginger beast" by British ecologist David Goulson.
B. dahlbomii is native to southern Chile and southern Argentina, including Patagonia. The decline of its populations started with the introduction of Bombus terrestris and B. ruderatus into Chile to serve as commercial pollinators. B. dahlbomii population decline can also be attributed to the pathogen spillover of the parasitic protozoan Apicystis bombi, which was co-introduced with B. terrestris.
B. dahlbomii is an important insect in local ecosystems, such as the Maulino forest of central Chile. There, it is a major pollinator of native plants such as Lapageria rosea and Alstroemeria aurea, both of which serve important commercial purposes.
The species was originally described in 1835 by the French entomologist Félix... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 2 | Nahuel Huapi National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 3 | Torres del Paine National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Bumble Bee sighting in Nahuel Huapi National Park on a given day, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 39 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and November
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Bumble Bee in Nahuel Huapi National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to October, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Giant Bumble Bee sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Giant Bumble Bee sightings, Nahuel Huapi National Park ranks 2nd at about 30%. The best odds are in Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park (Chile, about 50%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Giant Bumble Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Nahuel Huapi National Park (31 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
