A <em>Bombus perplexus</em>, identified by Sam Droege, nectaring on Canada Thistle in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/23/2013). (Photo ID: 6622 - Psn: 10)

A Bombus perplexus, identified by Sam Droege, nectaring on Canada Thistle in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/23/2013).

Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Harford Co., Maryland (6/22/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/22/2018). Verified by John S. Ascher/BugGuide.

View Record Details Photo by Jim Moore MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/22/2019). Verified by John S. Ascher/BugGuide.

View Record Details Photo by Jim Moore MBP List

<em>Bombus perplexus</em> in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/23/2013). (Photo ID: 6623 - Psn: 15)

Bombus perplexus in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/23/2013).

Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

A male Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/19/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Mark Etheridge MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/21/2015). (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'>CC BY</a>). (Photo ID: 242569 - Psn: 20)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/21/2015). (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY).

View Record Details Photo by Even Dankowicz via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/23/2014). (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'>CC BY</a>). (Photo ID: 242584 - Psn: 20)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/23/2014). (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY).

View Record Details Photo by Even Dankowicz via iNaturalist MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/7/2020).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Moore MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/23/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Emily Stanley MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/25/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Richard Orr MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Howard Co., Maryland (6/26/2016). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 214450 - Psn: 45)

View Record Details Photo by Timothy Reichard MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) nodowd, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 287439 - Psn: 45)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) nodowd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by nodowd via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/5/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 463891 - Psn: 45)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/5/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Emilio Concari MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 822196 - Psn: 45)

View Record Details Photo by Timothy Reichard MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bees in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/3/2015). Verified by John S. Ascher/BugGuide.

View Record Details Photo by Mark Etheridge MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/28/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 343589 - Psn: 55)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/28/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/26/2021). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 430883 - Psn: 55)

View Record Details Photo by Timothy Reichard MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/30/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 343921 - Psn: 56)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/30/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/29/2019). (c) Ryan Kurtz, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'>CC BY</a>). (Photo ID: 225723 - Psn: 58)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/29/2019). (c) Ryan Kurtz, some rights reserved (CC BY).

View Record Details Photo by Ryan Kurtz via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/12/2020). (c) conniey, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 299130 - Psn: 62)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/12/2020). (c) conniey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by conniey via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/25/2015). (c) elizaberry, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 234770 - Psn: 66)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/25/2015). (c) elizaberry, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by elizaberry via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) nodowd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by nodowd via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/13/2021). (c) Nathaniel Schwartz, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/'>CC BY-NC-ND</a>). (Photo ID: 504580 - Psn: 66)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/13/2021). (c) Nathaniel Schwartz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND).

View Record Details Photo by Nathaniel Schwartz via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/23/2021). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 517261 - Psn: 66)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/23/2021). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Moore MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/6/2015). Determined by John S. Ascher/BugGuide.

View Record Details Photo by Pauline Horn MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/16/2020). (c) stephanieoberle, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 298819 - Psn: 72)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/16/2020). (c) stephanieoberle, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by stephanieoberle via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/27/2020). (c) apistopanchax, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 178586 - Psn: 75)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/27/2020). (c) apistopanchax, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/27/2020). (c) apistopanchax, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/5/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Emilio Concari MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/9/2019). (c) Peter M Martin, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 267167 - Psn: 78)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/9/2019). (c) Peter M Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Peter M Martin via iNaturalist MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/17/2020). Determined by John S. Ascher and Bob Zuparko via BugGuide.

View Record Details Photo by Max Wilson MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/4/2020). (c) kbarylski, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 330069 - Psn: 88)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/4/2020). (c) kbarylski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by kbarylski via iNaturalist MBP List

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/28/2021). (c) rickster81, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 414889 - Psn: 88)

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/28/2021). (c) rickster81, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by rickster81 via iNaturalist MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Centre Co., Pennsylvania (2016). Photograph by Kelly Graninger.

View Record Details Photo by USGS PWRC MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Centre Co., Pennsylvania (2016). Photograph by Kelly Graninger.

View Record Details Photo by USGS PWRC MBP List

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Centre Co., Pennsylvania (2016). Photograph by Kelly Graninger.

View Record Details Photo by USGS PWRC MBP List

A female Perplexing Bumble Bee collected in Centre Co., Pennsylvania. Collected by Laura Russo. Photograph by Kelly Graninger.

View Record Details Photo by USGS PWRC MBP List

A female Perplexing Bumble Bee collected in Centre Co., Pennsylvania. Collected by Laura Russo. Photograph by Kelly Graninger.

View Record Details Photo by USGS PWRC MBP List

Map Snapshot

299 Records

GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO

Status

In our area, its distribution largely stops at the Fall Line; few are recorded on the coastal plain (S. Droege, pers. comm.).

Description

Note lemon yellow coloration. For some reason this species' coloration tends towards bright yellow while other eastern bumbles are more subdued in their yellowness. It varies with their age (the sun fade bumbles plumage) but a nice lemon yellow usually means this species. Males have 13 rather than 12 antennal segments and the hind legs lack the pollen-carrying corbicula (bare area) on the tibia. (S. Droege, pers. comm.)

Seasonality Summary

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Resources

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Citations

No citations linked for this taxon yet.

Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

A Bombus perplexus, identified by Sam Droege, nectaring on Canada Thistle in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/23/2013). Media by Jim Brighton.

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Harford Co., Maryland (6/22/2017). View Record Details Media by Josh Emm.

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/22/2018). Verified by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. View Record Details Media by Jim Moore.

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/22/2019). Verified by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. View Record Details Media by Jim Moore.

Bombus perplexus in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/23/2013). Media by Jim Brighton.

A male Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/19/2016). View Record Details Media by Mark Etheridge.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/21/2015). (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY). View Record Details Media by Even Dankowicz via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/23/2014). (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY). View Record Details Media by Even Dankowicz via iNaturalist.

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/7/2020). View Record Details Media by Jim Moore.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/23/2018). View Record Details Media by Emily Stanley.

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/25/2016). View Record Details Media by Richard Orr.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) nodowd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by nodowd via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/5/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Emilio Concari.

Perplexing Bumble Bees in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/3/2015). Verified by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. View Record Details Media by Mark Etheridge.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/28/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Frode Jacobsen.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/30/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Frode Jacobsen.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/29/2019). (c) Ryan Kurtz, some rights reserved (CC BY). View Record Details Media by Ryan Kurtz via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/12/2020). (c) conniey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by conniey via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/25/2015). (c) elizaberry, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by elizaberry via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) nodowd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by nodowd via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/13/2021). (c) Nathaniel Schwartz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND). View Record Details Media by Nathaniel Schwartz via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/23/2021). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Jim Moore.

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/6/2015). Determined by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. View Record Details Media by Pauline Horn.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/16/2020). (c) stephanieoberle, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by stephanieoberle via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/27/2020). (c) apistopanchax, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Josh Emm.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/5/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Emilio Concari.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/9/2019). (c) Peter M Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Peter M Martin via iNaturalist.

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/17/2020). Determined by John S. Ascher and Bob Zuparko via BugGuide. View Record Details Media by Max Wilson.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/4/2020). (c) kbarylski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by kbarylski via iNaturalist.

Perplexing Bumble Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/28/2021). (c) rickster81, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by rickster81 via iNaturalist.

A Perplexing Bumble Bee in Centre Co., Pennsylvania (2016). Photograph by Kelly Graninger. View Record Details Media by USGS PWRC.

A female Perplexing Bumble Bee collected in Centre Co., Pennsylvania. Collected by Laura Russo. Photograph by Kelly Graninger. View Record Details Media by USGS PWRC.