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Brahma Kamal are rare flowers found in high-altitude regions of the Himalaya, where bumble bees are the primary pollinators. Bumble bees are cold-adapted bees, and in India their distribution is in Himalayan Mountain ranges. We study this plant and bumble bees in the Bumla pass at about 4300 m above mean sea level (amsl) in the Eastern Himalayan Ranges in the Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh, India. The present study systematically reported the occurrence of Brahma Kamal, which was rarely recorded in Arunachal along with a report of six species of bumble bee (Bombus abnormis, Bombus lemniscatus, Bombus mirus, Bombus pressus, Bombus prshewalskyi and Bombus sikkimi) visitors from high altitude region of state of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The flowering time of the Brahma Kamal is in the month of August, and the optimal period to record bumble bees is from June to August. This new report focuses on the extreme east of India, in the Eastern Himalaya, and adds to the data on Brahma Kamal distribution and bumble bee occurrence for future research on pollination, species distribution, threat and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impatiens namchabarwensis was described as a new species in 2005 by Morgan et al. As already mentioned in the species description, I. namchabarwensis is morphologically similar to I. arguta and the small range of I. namchabarwensis in the eastern Himalaya is nested within the large, Himalayan range of I. arguta. Therefore, I. namchabarwensis has frequently been treated as synonym of I. arguta (e.g. in the Flora of China). We compared plant longevity, flower morphology and other functional floral traits and analyzed the differences between the two taxa. We found that I. namchabarwensis is a short‐lived perennial reaching maximally three years whereas I. arguta is a long‐lived perennial. Further, the floral traits of the two species differ significantly. These differences are also reflected in the main pollinator groups of the two species, which are hawk moths for I. namchabarwensis and bumblebees for I. arguta. Hence, we follow the argumentation of Morgan et al. and conclude that I. namchabarwensis and I. arguta are two distinct species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bombus flavescens Smith is one of the most widespread bumblebee species in the Oriental region. Due to colour polymorphisms, this species or species-complex has been a challenge for taxonomy. This study aims to assess the taxonomic status of the flavescens-complex using evidence from COI barcodes and morphology. We then reconstruct its biogeographic history from a phylogenetic analysis of populations across the current range, combining COI with 16S and nuclear PEPCK data. Despite a large range of polymorphisms across its distribution, the results show that B. flavescens is a single species based on algorithmic species delimitation methods, and it is clearly separated from its sister species, B. rotundiceps Friese. We suggest that B. flavescens diverged from its sister lineage in the Himalaya and dispersed into Southeast Asia in the Pleistocene. Conservation of the widespread B. flavescens will need to consider its several unique island populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bumble bees play a crucial role in pollination of North West Himalayas. Bumble bees successfully thrive in the harsh environmental conditions of Himalayas. The present study aimed at taxonomic and zoogeographic studies of Bumble bees belonging to genus Bombus along with altitudinal variation of one species leading to its new record. Methods: The collections surveys were conducted from the year 2017 to 2019 from altitude of 1000 to 3500 meters above sea level in North-West Himalaya. A total of 43 specimens belonging to three species were collected. These specimens were preserved as per standard techniques in Hymenoptera and identified following keys of eminent workers. Result: The detailed taxonomy of three species of Bumble bees from North West Himalaya i.e., Bombus trifasciatus Smith, Bombus tunicatus Smith and Bombus simillimus Smith has been studied. The important taxonomic characters of different castes of these bee species have been elaborated and illustrations of morphological characters (including genitalia and sterna of male) of different castes i.e. queen, worker and male for each species are provided. The general foraging behaviour and altitudinal distribution along with floral preferences has been discussed in all the three species. The list of nectar food plants is provided under each species. B. trifasciatus has been recorded for the first time from Phey in cold desert in UT of Ladakh, which is being reported as new record in the Trans Himalayan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollination and pollinators are major keys in the working of almost all terrestrial ecosystems. Bumblebees are the key pollinators belonging to the family Apidae. Their large and fuzzy body makes them more efficient pollinators than any other bee. Because of their thermoregulatory abilities, they can efficiently and effectively work in the cold climate of the Himalayan region. This study is conducted in the Dehradun valley of Uttarakhand, India, which is situated in the foothills of the Shiwalik hills of Himalaya. It is a preliminary study of the foraging behavior of bumblebees in this region, and it is observed that they mainly forage on species of the families Asteraceae, Verbenaceae, Tropaeolaceae, Solanaceae and Bignoneaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The East Himalaya is one of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems. However, very little is known about the abundance and distribution of many plant and animal taxa in this region. Bumble bees are a group of cold-adapted and high elevation insects that fulfil an important ecological and economical function as pollinators of wild and agricultural flowering plants and crops. The Himalayan mountain range provides ample suitable habitats for bumble bees. Systematic study of Himalayan bumble bees began a few decades ago and the main focus has centred on the western region, while the eastern part of the mountain range has received little attention and only a few species have been verified. During a three-year survey, more than 700 bumble bee specimens of 21 species were collected in Arunachal Pradesh, the largest of the north-eastern states of India. The material included a range of species that were previously known from a limited number of collected specimens, which highlights the unique character of the East Himalayan ecosystem. Our results are an important first step towards a future assessment of species distribution, threat, and conservation. Clear elevation patterns of species diversity were observed, which raise important questions about the functional adaptations that allow bumble bees to thrive in this particularly moist region in the East Himalaya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brahma 's lotus (Saussurea obvallata (DC.) Edgew.: Asteraceae) that grows near the permanent snow line in the Himalaya, is one of several so-called "glasshouse" plants, which enclose their inflorescences in large translucent bracts. Around the temple of Kedarnath (Uttarakhand: India), where this study was conducted, the inflorescences are harvested for offerings and for sale to pilgrims. In addition, the plant has many medicinal uses. We report on the reproductive biology of S. obvallata with the aim of understanding its distinctive morphology and also to gain insight into how it might respond to harvesting. The main questions were: (1) How does population density vary in relation to altitude? (2) What is the flowering and leafing phenology of S. obvallata ? (3) Do populations differ in morphology? (4) Does the pollen to ovule ratio suggest outcrossing? (5) What pollinates S. obvallata, and how does visitation rate vary across sites? (6) Is the species self-compatible? (7) Does it require pollinators for seed production? (8) Is seed set pollen-limited? (9) Do the bracts enhance seed set, and (10) Is the species semelparous? To answer these questions, we recorded population density and floral visitors across an elevational gradient, conducted pollinator exclusion and hand-pollination experiments, modified floral morphology by folding back the bracts of experimental plants, and observed the life cycle. We found that the flowers were pollinated by rufous-striped bumblebees, Bombus rufofasciatus Smith, which are strong enough to separate and clamber between the whorled bracts. Paradoxically, visitation rates were higher at lower elevation, whereas the plants survived better at higher elevation. The bracts enhanced seed production, probably by keeping the inflorescences dry and warm during the wet monsoon (August). Despite the reduction of density due to harvesting, plants at one site were not pollen-limited and were capable of autonomous self-pollination. Nevertheless, seed set was somewhat higher in plants left open to receive pollinator visits. Self-compatibility and iteroparity are predicted to render the species less sensitive to the harvesting of inflorescences that some other Saussurea species, which are semelparous and self-incompatible. However, the currently high rate of harvesting highlights the need for monitoring and for a resource management strategy. • We find that the revered Brahma's lotus (Saussurea obvallata) of the Indian Himalayan Region is pollinated by bumblebees (Bombus rufofasciatus Smith) which clamber through the whorls of translucent bracts to reach the enclosed inflorescences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B. asiaticus Morawitz is a widely distributed medium-tongued bumblebee species occurring in both the northeast and northwest Indian Himalayas. This species exhibits a wide range of color variation in all castes. Queens have white, pale yellow, yellow or brownish pro- and meta - notum, and some specimens possess an entirely white thoracic dorsum. Metasomal tergum 1 and 2 are white, pale yellow, brownish or even black; metasomal tergum 4 is black, brick red or orange red with anterior white and posterior dirty yellow bands in some specimens; tergum 5 is white, black, brick red or even orange red, with some individuals having anterior black and posterior dirty yellow bands. The size of workers may vary from small through medium to large (10-18 mm). Members of this species forage heavily on Cirsium spp. (Asteraceae) and Trifolium spp. (Papilionaceae) during Aug ust. In addition to population variation, detailed taxonomic descriptions, synonymy, host plants and distribution pattern are discussed and illustrations are given. Twenty-six host plants of this species have been recorded for the first time from the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bombus morawitzianus (Popov) has been reported for the first time from Gurez valley (Jammu and Kashmir) India. The genus is now represented by forty-eight valid species from India. Reported here are detailed taxonomic descriptions, synonymy, host plants, ecology and distribution pattern and illustration. Twelve food plants of this species have been put on record for the first time from the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]