A scientific note on Bombus haemorrhoidalis: a long-tongued pocket-maker species

Survey and diversity studies carried out in four agro-climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh revealed that Bombus haemorrhoidalis Smith is the native bumble bee species widely spread from low lands to high altitude regions of the Himalayas. Therefore, rearing of bumblebees in captivity to produce mass culture is an important aspect to overcome the pollination services in greenhouse conditions. The efforts are being undertaken to commercialize the rearing of potential indigenous bumblebee species in India by the University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, for its use in pollination. It was observed that the colony growth and development of this species in captivity were impeded due to their different feeding behavior and nutrition choice. Therefore, feeding behavioral studies of laboratory-reared colonies and natural nests of B. haemorrhoidalis, Smith, 1952 enable us to identify it as long-tongued species, as the average tongue length for the queen, male, and worker was found to be 13.30 ± 0.08, 11.15 ± 0.03, and 10.21 ± 0.03 mm, respectively, and also confirmed it as a pocket maker that forms pollen pockets near the brood clumps from which the larvae feed on the pollen mass itself. Therefore, identification of this feeding behavior makes us to understand its nutritional requirements and also enhances the possibility of rearing this species successfully under captivity by managing its nutritional stress and requirements.