Morrison bumble bee queens and workers are similar in coloration. The queen is 22 – 26 mm in length, the worker is 12 – 22 mm in length. Their hair is very short and even. The hair of the face is usually black, but the vertex (top of the head) is yellow. The hair on the top of the thorax is all yellow, without a black spot, or band between the wings. The hair on the thorax below the wings is predominantly black. The first two tergal (dorsal plate) segments on the abdomen are yellow with at least some yellow (centrally) on tergal segment 3. Tergal segment 4 has predominantly black hairs. The male is 15 – 20 mm in length. The hair on the head is predominantly yellow, with some black hairs mixed in – especially on the face. The hair on the top of the thorax is entirely yellow with black hairs below and behind the wings. The hair on the first to third tergal segments is yellow, and occasionally there are some yellow hairs on the fourth tergal segment. Tergal segments 5 – 7 are entirely black. The eyes of male B. morrisoni are greatly enlarged, much larger than any female bumble bee.
Overview
- Species Common Name Morrison Bumble Bee
- Species Scientific Name Bombus morrisoni
Ecoregions
Blue Mountains
Located in NE Oregon, the Blue Mountains ecoregion is the largest ecoregion in the state. It provides a diverse complex of mountain ranges, valleys, and plateaus that extend beyond Oregon into the states of Idaho and Washington.
Coast Range
Oregon's Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions
East Cascades
The East Cascade ecoregion extends from the Cascade Mountains' summit east to the warmer, drier high desert and down the length of the state. This ecoregion varies dramatically from its cool, moist border with the West Cascades ecoregion to its dry eastern border, where it meets sagebrush desert landscapes.
Northern Basin and Range
The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.
West Cascades
The West Cascades ecoregion extends from east of the Cascade Mountains summit to the foothills of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue Valleys, and spans the entire length of the state of Oregon. It is largely dominated by conifer forests, moving into alpine parklands and dwarf shrubs at higher elevations.