Bombus (Pyrobombus) picipes Richards

53. Bombus (Pyrobombus) picipes Richards

(Figs 108, 109)

Bombus pratorum ssp. flavus Friese, 1905:517 (not of Pérez, 1884:265 = B. campestris (Panzer)). Bombus (Pratobombus) parthenius var. picipes Richards, 1934:90.

Bombus (Pratobombus) klapperichi Pittioni, 1949:266.

Material examined. 28 queens, 556 workers, 104 males (IAB).

Distribution in North China. Primarily in the Qinling mountains, the loess plateau and the Yanshan mountains. Abundant at medium elevations of the Maijishan forest park and the Xiaolongshan nature reserve in Gansu, and medium elevations of the Liupanshan mountains in southern Ningxia. Common at low to medium elevations of the Yanshan mountains in Beijing and northern Hebai, at medium elevations of the loess plateau in eastern Gansu and central Shaanxi, at medium elevations of the Baishuijiang river valley mountains in southernmost Gansu, at medium elevations of the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau in western Gansu, at medium elevations of the south Taihangshan mountains in Shanxi, and at medium elevations of the Qinling mountains in southern Shaanxi. Rare at medium elevation of the Micangshan mountains and the Dabashan mountains in southernmost Shaanxi. 103 localities (Fig. 108) between 414–2788 m (IAB).

Similar species in North China. This species is similar in its yellow-grey colour pattern to some B. remotus, B. infrequens and B. wangae (see the key; Figs 63, 109, 111, 117).

Distribution in China. Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Fujian, Henan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia (IAB).

Forage plants. ALLIACEAE: Allium fistulosum; ASTERACEAE: Arctium lappa, Calendula officinalis, Callistephus chinensis, Cirsium leo, C. monocephalum, C. shansiense, Cosmos bipinnatus, Dahlia pinnata, Helianthus annuus, Ixeridium sonchifolium, Saussurea pulchella, Saussurea sp., Tagetes patula; BUDDLEJACEAE: Buddleja officinalis; CLUSIACEAE: Hypericum ascyron; DIPSACACEAE: Dipsacus japonicus; FABACEAE: Astragalus dahuricus, Astragalus sp., Lespedeza bicolor, Medicago sativa, Melilotus officinalis, Onobrychis viciifolia, Oxytropis ochrocephala, Vicia cracca; LAMIACEAE: Dracocephalum heterophyllum, Elsholtzia ciliata, E. stauntonii, Leonurus japonicus, L. sibiricus, Nepeta prattii, Phlomis umbrosa; MALVACEAE: Alcea rosea, Hibiscus syriacus; ONAGRACEAE: Oenothera biennis; RANUNCULACEAE: Aconitum kusnezoffii, Anemone tomentosa, Clematis tangutica; ROSACEAE: Duchesnea indica, Cerasus campanulata, Amygdalus davidiana, A. persica, Cerasus tomentosa, Rosa chinensis, Rubus crataegifolius; SALICACEAE: Salix caprea; TILIACEAE: Grewia biloba.