Search

Whilst the Arctic and boreal bumblebee fauna is increasingly studied worldwide, information is missing about the genetic connections between circum-boreal populations of some widespread species, especially those living in remote regions like North-East Siberia and Alaska. Here, we study one of the most common boreal bumblebee species, Bombus (Pyrobombus) jonellus (Kirby, 1802), as a model to investigate current circum-boreal genetic connections and relations with relictual populations in its post-glacial refugia in Southern Europe. Our haplotype network analysis based on a fragment of the cytochrome oxidase 1 gene reveals two main conspecific lineages, one in Europe including the Southern relictual populations from the Pyrenees and the second comprising Eastern Palearctic and Nearctic populations. However, West-Siberian populations of Bombus jonellus share haplotypes with the two distinct lineages. These results could indicate a postglacial, multidirectional and circum-boreal recolonization both in Europe and East-Palearctic from refugia in Siberia, in addition to other recolonization ways from Southern European refugia and Beringia. These findings highlight that a priori distant and isolated conspecific populations of B. jonellus could presently remain connected or have only presented a recent break in gene flow.

The fauna and ecology of bumblebees in the European North are quite well-studied. However, there is a scarcity of information about the distribution and ecology of certain species of bumblebees, especially for the territory of Northern Russia. In this study, we summarised materials concerning Bombus (Pyrobombus) jonellus (Kirby, 1802), which is typical bumblebee species for the north-western portion of the Russian Plain and surrounding areas. The studied territory includes the Arkhangelsk Region and the western part of the Nenets Autonomous District, i.e. a wide strip from taiga to tundra ecosystems. Due to the studies of materials that were collected over a period 17 years, we established thatB. jonellusis widely distributed and the northern border of its range within the studied region reaches the northern part of the Kanin Peninsula. In the north-western Russian Plain,B. jonellushas been found in various types of habitats, the most common being coniferous and birch forests, secondary meadows and ruderal patches. In the Solovetsky Islands, White Sea, Russia,B. jonellusis typical on coastal heathlands. In the northern part of the studied region,B. jonellushas a tendency to forage in open habitats and visits a wide range of entomophilous plants, mostly of the family Ericaceae. Our findings highlight that the territory of the north-western Russian Plain and surrounding areas is whereB. jonellusis widely distributed and abundant, being recorded in different types of habitats.

Origins of the fauna in Iceland is controversial, although the majority of modern research supports the postglacial colonization of this island by terrestrial invertebrates rather than their long-term survival in glacial refugia. In this study, we use three bumblebee species as a model to test the hypothesis regarding possible cryptic refugia in Iceland and to evaluate a putative origin of recently introduced taxa.Bombusjonellusis thought to be a possible native Icelandic lineage, whereasB.lucorumandB.hortorumwere evidently introduced in the second half of the 20thcentury. These phylogeographic analyses reveal that the IcelandicBombusjonellusshares two COI lineages, one of which also occurs in populations on the British Isles and in mainland Europe, but a second lineage (BJ-02) has not been recorded anywhere. These results indicate that this species may have colonized Iceland two times and that the lineage BJ-02 may reflect a more ancient Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene founder event (e.g., from the British Isles). The Icelandic populations of bothBombuslucorumandB.hortorumshare the COI lineages that were recorded as widespread throughout Eurasia, from the European countries across Russia to China and Japan. The findings presented here highlight that the bumblebee fauna of Iceland comprises mainly widespread ubiquitous lineages that arrived via natural or human-mediated dispersal events from the British Isles or the mainland.

Bumblebees are the predominant wild pollinators for many plant species in temperate regions. A bumblebee colony requires pollen and nectar throughout its lifetime, but degraded and fragmented habitats may have gaps in the temporal and spatial continuity of floral resources. Heathlands are open biotopes that provide favourable habitat for bumblebees like Bombus jonellus, a declining species in Belgium. In heathlands, ericaceous species are the main plants that provide pollen and nectar for bumblebees. Although the nectar composition of ericaceous species has been previously studied, data on pollen composition remain scarce. We examined bumblebee diets (composition of their pollen loads) in Belgian heathlands over the course of a colony lifetime to assess the fidelity of bumblebees for ericaceous species. We compared nutritional values by investigating the chemical composition (amino acids, polypeptides and sterols) of the pollen of the ericaceous and dominant non-ericaceous species present in pollen loads. No relationship was detected between the abundance of a particular plant species in bumblebee loads and its pollen composition. The successive flowering periods and the nutritional quality of pollen of ericaceous species offer valuable resources for bumblebees. Ericaceous species represent a large part of bumblebee diets in heathlands, especially in early spring and late summer when the diversity of other flowering species was low. Bumblebee pollen loads also contained non-ericaceous flowering species that grow outside heathlands. Thus, land planning must incorporate conservation strategies for the different elements of the landscape matrix, including heathlands, peatlands, meadows and margins.

Only one species of the Hymenoptera Apoidea Anthophila is native to Iceland: Bombus jonellus (Kirby, 1802). A second species, Andrena tarsata Nylander, 1848, is mentioned by Schmiedeknecht (1882–1884), but there is reasonable doubt of an existence in Iceland. Four bumblebee species were introduced: B. hortorum (Linnaeus, 1761), first detection in 1959; B. lucorum (Linnaeus, 1761), first detection in 1979; B. hypnorum (Linnaeus, 1758) and B. pascuorum (Scopoli, 1763), first detections in 2010. Furthermore B. terrestris (Linnaeus, 1761) was introduced for tomato pollination in greenhouses (after 2002). Personal observations in 2014 yielded the result of large extensions of B. lucorum primarily in the north-east region of Iceland. The distribution of all bumblebee species in Iceland is summarised, their taxonomical status, habitat preferences, special adaptations and colonisation history are discussed. Based on a differential evaluation, probable trends of their future development are examined. Global warming effects may reduce B. jonellus populations and promote those of introduced Bombus species. B. lucorum may expand in many regions of Iceland far from settlements, but also into cultivated and settlement areas. B. hortorum is restricted to settlement areas with gardens (preferring long-tubed flowers), but B. lucorum will compete strongly with B. hortorum. B. hypnorum is also restricted to settlement areas, due to special nesting behaviour. The further development of B. pascuorum is likely to be positively supported by global warming effects and competitive effects. B. terrestris seems to be not adapted to live outside greenhouses in Iceland.

Bombus jonellus yarrowianus (Rasmont, 1986) Mountain subspecies spread along the Cantabrian Range, Sierra de Urbi��n and western Pyrenees, between 850 and 2060 m of altitude (Rasmont 1986, Ornosa & Ortiz-S��nchez 2004). At present it has been sampled from 1310 to 2300 m (Fig. 7), in grasslands in oak woods, in forests of Pinus uncinata with patches of subalpine scrub and in supraforestal pastures on Buglossoides arvensis (L.), Cynoglossum officinale F., Epilobium angustifolium L., Gentiana lutea L., Lathyrus pratensis L., Lotus corniculatus L., Rhododendron ferrugineum L. and Trifolium pratense L. According to current data, this species exhibits a greater elevational tendency (Fig. 7) in the Pyrenees, where it seems to be declining and threatened (Table 2). New records. Andorra: Soldeu, 28- VII-2006, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME. Spain: Girona: La Molina, ski resort, 9- VII-2015, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; N��ria, Bosc de la Verge, 24- VII-2009, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Huesca: Ordesa, pradera, 4- VII-2006, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME. Lleida: Ba��os de Tred��s, slope, 10- VII-2014, 1 worker, F. Torres leg., UCME; Estany Sant Maurici, 8- VII-2014, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Grasslands between Estany Ratera and Estany Sant Maurici, 8- VII- 2014, 1 queen, C. Ornosa leg., UCME., Published as part of Ornosa, Concepci��n, Torres, F��lix & R��a, Pilar De La, 2017, Updated list of bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from the Spanish Pyrenees with notes on their decline and conservation status, pp. 41-77 in Zootaxa 4237 (1) on pages 57-58, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4237.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/322688, {"references":["Rasmont, P. (1986) Pyrobombus jonellus (Kirby) dans la peninsule iberique et les Pyrenees (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombinae). Entomologische Berichten, 46, 185 - 189.","Ornosa, C. & Ortiz-Sanchez, F. J. (2004) Hymenoptera: Apoidea I. In: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (Ed.), Fauna Iberica. Fol. 23. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, pp. 1 - 556."]}

Bombus jonellus (Kirby, 1802) Palearctic species, that occurs from the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Range, to the Barents Sea coast, from Iceland in the west to Kamchatka in the east. In Europe, it is considered as Least Concern (Rasmont et al. 2015). The Pyrenean population consists of one unique subspecies, Published as part of Ornosa, Concepci��n, Torres, F��lix & R��a, Pilar De La, 2017, Updated list of bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from the Spanish Pyrenees with notes on their decline and conservation status, pp. 41-77 in Zootaxa 4237 (1) on page 57, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4237.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/322688

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are pollinators of especially high conservation interest. They have behaviours (pollen-gathering, buzz pollination), morphological structures (branched body hairs well-adapted for retaining pollen), and endothermic capabilities, that make them welladapted for transporting large amounts of pollen in subarctic regions (Heinrich & Vogt 1993, De Luca & Vallejo-Marín 2013). Recent findings indicate that 23.6% of bumblebee species in Europe are threatened with extinction, and that 45.6% of Europe’s bumblebee species are in decline (Nieto et al. 2014). These declines are likely due to multiple threats acting synergistically, but the primary threat is the loss and fragmentation of foraging and nesting resources (Kosior et al. 2007, Potts et al. 2010, Goulson et al. 2015). In Iceland, the aggressive spread of invasive non-native plant species such as Nootka lupine (Lupinus nootkatensis Donn) and cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris L.) (Magnússon 2011, Icelandic Institute of Natural History 2016) represents a serious threat to native forage-plant communities. Recent research suggests that Iceland’s only native bee, the heath bumblebee (B. jonellus Kirby), is at risk of serious declines in Iceland due to the spread of invasive plant populations (Willow 2016). To protect B. jonellus in Iceland, we need to not only manage invasive plant species, but also improve our knowledge of the native food plants that B. jonellus visits (Willow 2016). A range of flowering plant species used by B. jonellus in Iceland is given in Prŷs-Jones et al. (1981, 2016), with estimates of their significance as forage resources. However, further systematic observations of foraging preferences are required, as the plant-pollinator network throughout Iceland is undergoing changes, particularly due to the spread of invasive plant populations and the introduction of exotic bumblebee species (Magnússon 2011, Icelandic Institute of Natural History 2016, Prŷs-Jones et al. 2016). The primary aim of this study was to determine the significance of various plant species, across the forage season, as forage for B. jonellus in relatively natural environments in south-west Iceland. The importance of each forage plant species was estimated from the number of observed B. jonellus visits., Náttúruverndarsjóður Pálma Jónssonar

Many bumblebee species have been suffering from significant declines across their ranges in the Northern Hemisphere over the last few decades. The remaining populations of the rare species are now often isolated due to habitat fragmentation and have reduced levels of genetic diversity. The persistence of these populations may be threatened by inbreeding depression, which may result in a higher susceptibility to parasites. Here we investigate the relationship between genetic diversity and prevalence of the parasitic mite Locustacarus buchneri in bumblebees, using the previously-studied system of Bombus muscorum and Bombus jonellus in the Western Isles of Scotland. We recorded L. buchneri prevalence in 17 populations of B. muscorum and 13 populations of B. jonellus and related the results to levels of heterozygosity. For B. muscorum, we found that prevalence of the mite was higher in populations with lower genetic diversity but there was no such relationship in the more genetically diverse B. jonellus. In contrast to population-level measures of genetic diversity, the heterozygosity of individual bees was not correlated with infection status. We suggest population-level genetic homogeneity may facilitate parasite transmission and elevate prevalence, with potential consequences for population persistence. © 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland.

The long-term studies (1986–2003) of raised bogs of Belarus revealed 167 species of aculeates belonging to 7 families: Sapygidae (1), Chrysididae (11), Pompilidae (19), Eumenidae (19), Vespidae (9), Sphecidae (76), and Apidae (32). The dominant species (not counting ants) are Vespula rufa (16.6%), Bombus jonellus (11.3%), B. lucorum (7.5%), Anoplius nigerrimus (5.1%), B. pascuorum (3.9%), Passaloecus turionum (3.8%), Argogorytes mystaceus (3.2%), Dipogon bifasciatus (3.1%), Pemphredon lugens (3.0%), and Trypoxylon attenuatum (2.6%). Approximately two-thirds of the species found in raised bogs nest in the upper layer. The spatial distribution of aculeates depends primarily on the distance from the bog margins and the presence of contrasting areas, such as lake banks or glades. The highest activity of various aculeate families (except for Vespidae) was observed in June. The total abundance of aculeates was found to be correlated with solar activity, the strongest correlation being observed in Vespidae. The abundance of different wasp families varied noticeably from year to year, depending on climatic parameters.

Several insect species visited exotic Rhododendron ponticum flowers, but bumblebees were most common. Only bumblebees (and one Vespula) contacted the flower stigma whilst foraging and are probably the main pollinators. One-third of insect visits resulted in stigma contact and visitation rates were high. This explains the high seed set reported elsewhere. There were significant differences according to the body size of visitors, with large queen bees contacting stigmas more often than smaller workers. There were no significant differences in behaviour of three species (Bombus jonellus, B. lucorum and B. monticola) and all bees tended to move short distances between flowers on a single plant. Longer flights and movements among plants were rare. Pollen carryover was estimated to be high: there was no decline in the amount of pollen deposited on stigmas from the first to fifth flower visited. The impact of bee behaviour on reproduction and invasion by exotic R. ponticum is discussed.

In the £ysogory Mts and adjacent area 126 species of Apiformes were found. Mid-forest meadows in the £ysogory Mts are populated mostly by Bombini (20 species). Apart from widely distributed species, the representatives of the following zoogeographi- cal elements were collected in this area: one xerothermic montane species (Bombus mesomelas), several boreo-montane species (Andrena lapponica, Andrena tarsata, Os- mia parietina, Bombus jonellus) and subpontic, submediterranean and subponto- mediterranean species (Colletes succinctus, Andrena decipiens, Lasioglossum subfascia- tum, Chalicodoma ericetorum, Osmia aurulenta, Ceratina cyanea, Anthophora pubes- cens). In the years 50-ies and 60-ies the number of Apiformes in the £ysogory Mts reached 150 individuals per 100 m 2 ; in the 80-ies the number of individuals was signifi- cantly lower. This condition was confirmed by a relatively low number of parasitic spe- cies (9) and by at least decuple decrease in number of Bombini.

The current article focuses on the possibilities of applying bumblebees as one of the biodiversity indicators in the monitoring and evaluation of the Estonian Agri-Environmental Programme (AEP) at landscape level. The need for agri-environmental indicators arises, at least partially, because the desired state of the environment sought by policy makers may not be directly observable. To develop agri-environmental measures favourable to landscape quality, it is necessary to know more about the relationship between landscape structure and composition and the number of different species. This study tested the relationship between the data sets of landscape elements and bumblebee communities from 11 agricultural areas in Estonia. The localities were divided into two groups: intensively used agricultural areas (IA) (the percentage of arable land was >65%) and less intensively used agricultural areas (LIA) (the percentage of arable land was Bombus lucorum , Bombus pascuorum and Bombus lapidarius . These species dominated in both types of agricultural area. Two species, Bombus jonellus and Bombus hypnorum were found only in LIA. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the landscape elements and the bumblebee species found. Results showed that there was a significant co-structure between the data sets of landscape elements and bumblebee communities. The most important landscape features that correlated with the distribution of the bumblebee species were the ecotone length between cultivated land and forests, and the size of the area covered with mixed forests and wetlands.

International audience; Bombus jonellus is very rare in the Pyrenees. So far, it is known only in the western part of these mountain range. We here provide several new locations and give indications about the habitat preferences and foraging plants of this bumblebee species. Some suggestions to promote the conservation of these isolated populations are made.; Bombus jonellus est très rare dans les Pyrénées. Il n'est connu à ce jour que de la partie occidentale de cette chaîne montagneuse. Nous fournissons ici plusieurs nouvelles localités et des indications à propos des préférences d'habitat et de fleurs butinées par cette espèce de bourdon. Nous donnons aussi quelques suggestions pour la conservation de ces populations isolées.

Bombus jonellus est très rare dans les Pyrénées. Il n'est connu à ce jour que de la partie occidentale de cette chaîne montagneuse. Nous fournissons ici plusieurs nouvelles localités et des indications à propos des préférences d'habitat et de fleurs butinées par cette espèce de bourdon. Nous donnons aussi quelques suggestions pour la conservation de ces populations isolées. New biogeographical data on Bombus jonellus (Kirby 1802) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Pyrenees. Bombus jonellus is very rare in the Pyrenees. So far, it is known only in the western part of these mountain range. We here provide several new locations and give indications about the habitat preferences and foraging plants of this bumblebee species. Some suggestions to promote the conservation of these isolated populations are made.

SummaryContrary to traditional thinking, Bombus jonellus (Kirby) is not the only bumble bee in Iceland. An ecological study of the species in 1979 revealed the presence of B. hortorum (L.), B. lucorum (L.) and B. jonellus.B. hortorum was found in the Reykjavik area in habitats supporting introduced flowers, and was unrepresented prior to 1959 in collections dating back to 1913. B. hortorum has probably become established since the 1950s, and B. lucorum may also be a recent introduction.

SUMMARY Operation of the pollination mechanisms of Pedicularis palustris L. by nectar and pollen foraging bumblebees (Bombus Latr.) was studied. It was found that pollination could be achieved in two ways: by normal collectors, viz. long-tongued bumblebees; by nectar thieves, viz. short-tongued bumblebees. Normal collectors (Bombus muscorum L., B. pascuorum floralis Gmel. and B. hortorum L.) introduced their head and tongue into the 12 mm corolla tube to secure nectar, while stigma and style swept the forager's head and thorax. Nectar thieves (Bombus jonellus Kirby, B. terrestris L. and B. lucorum L.) obtained nectar through holes in the corolla tube made by the latter two species. Pollen collecting thieves pushed against the upper lip while hovering in the air. Thus pollen was released and dusted on venter and legs. This foraging behaviour was attended by a hissing sound, presumably caused by wing vibrations. Both ways of pollination resulted in large-scale seed-setting, thus contradicting the common interpretation that nectar thieves do not effect pollination and seed production.

5. B. jonellus (KirbY, 1802) Flugzeiten: alte ♀♀ 7. 4. — 17. 5., ♀♀ 21. 5. — 5. 9., ♂ ♂ 11. 6. — 15. 9. — Bevorzugte Blüten: Calluna vulgaris und Empetrum nigrum. — In ganz Deutschland offenbar nur im Küstengebiet zahlreicher, während er im Binnenland überall zu den Seltenheiten gehört. Nach Emeis (1968) ist B. jonellus eine Heidehummel und typisch für die sandige Geest. Alfken (1913) verzeichnet ihn für Ahrensch und A. C. W. Wagner (1937) nennt 3 weitere Fundorte aus dem Bezirk Stade. Unter den vom Verfas­ ser gesammelten Hummeln befinden sich 17 Individuen, die von 1959—6 in den beiden unbebauten Geestgebieten I und II in der Hauptsache an Calluna vulgaris und Empetrum nigrum gefangen wurden. In den Jahren 1968—69 konnte B. jonellus im Untersuchungsgebiet nicht mehr nachge­ wiesen werden. — Diese Befunde stehen im Widerspruch zu der Feststel­ lung Alfkens (1938), diese Art sei als „Kulturfolger“ zu betrachten. — Nester wahrscheinlich oberirdisch (Postner 1951). — Schmarotzer: Ps. sylvestris., Published as part of Wagner, Rainer, 1971, Die Veränderung der Hummelfauna Cuxhavens in diesem Jahrhundert. Der Versuch einer Deutung.), pp. 207-232 in Ent. Mitt. Zool. Mus. Hamburg 4 (75) on page 212, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7289873, {"references":["Alfken, J. D., 1913: Die Bienenfauna von Bremen. - Abh. naturw. Ver. Bre- men 22, 1 - 220.","Postner, M., 1951: Biologisch-okologische Untersuchungen an Hummeln und ihren Nestern. - Veroffentl. Mus. Natur-, Volker- u. Handelskunde Bremen (A), 45 - 86."]}

Habitat loss has led to fragmentation of populations of many invertebrates, but social hymenopterans may be particularly sensitive to habitat fragmentation due to their low effective population sizes. The impacts of fragmentation depend strongly on dispersal abilities, but these are difficult to quantify. Here, we quantify and compare dispersal abilities of two bumblebee species, Bombus muscorum and Bombus jonellus, in a model island system. We use microsatellites to investigate population genetic structuring, dispersal and spatial patterns in genetic diversity. Populations of both species showed significant structuring, and isolation by distance, but this was markedly greater in B. muscorum (θ = 0.13) than in B. jonellus (θ = 0.034). This difference could reflect a higher effective population size in B. jonellus compared to B. muscorum, but this is not consistent with the observed abundance of the two species. We argue that it is more likely that B. jonellus has a higher propensity to disperse than B. muscorum. This will influence their relative susceptibility to habitat fragmentation and may in part explain differential declines of mainland populations of these and other bumblebee species. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.