Abstract
Bumblebees are important pollinators for agricultural and natural ecosystems. Gansu province, China, is located in part of the greatest hotspot of bumblebee diversity worldwide, a region of very varied geomorphology and vegetation. We report on a recent field survey of the bumblebees of Gansu made between 2007–2010. A sample of 5941 bumblebee specimens from Gansu are assigned to 49 species. Two older specimens held in London add two more species to this list. Together, these 51 species belong to 10 subgenera of the genus Bombus, and 10 species (nearly one fifth of the fauna) are recorded for the first time from Gansu: B. asiaticus, B. bicoloratus, B. chinensis, B. coreanus, B. deuteronymus, B. expolitus, B. festivus, B. grahami, B. hypocrita, and B. opulentus. None of the species is endemic to Gansu. We provide distribution maps and describe variation in local species richness and abundance and list the food plants used in Gansu. The highest bumblebee richness for the province is in the southeastern mountains and Qinghai-Tibetan plateau in the southwest. We describe how the fauna of Gansu is transitional between the fauna of North China and the fauna of the more southern Sichuan-Himalayan region.References
An, J.D., Yao, J., Huang, J.X., Shao, Y.Q., Wu, J., Li, J.L. & Shi, H.Y. (2008) Bombus fauna (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in Shanxi, China. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 33, 80–88.
An, J.D., Huang, J.X., Williams, P.H., Wu, J. & Zhou, B.F. (2010) Species diversity and colony characteristics of bumblebee in Hebei region of North China. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 21, 1542–1550.
Ashmead, W.H. (1905) Additions to the recorded Hymenopterous fauna of the Philippine Islands, with descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 28, 957–971.
Bischoff, H. (1936) Schwedisch-chinesische wissenschaftliche Expedition nach den nordwestlichen Provinzen Chinas, unter Leitung von Dr. Sven Hedin und Prof. Sü Ping-chang. Insekten gesammelt vom schwedischen Arzt der Expedition Dr. David Hummel 1927–1930. 56. Hymenoptera. 10. Bombinae. Arkiv för zoologi, 27A(38), 1–27.
Blüthgen, P. (1918) Psithyrus vestalis Geoffr. und bohemicus Seidl. (distinctus, Pérez) (Hym.). Entomologische Mitteilungen, 7(10/12), 188–197.
Cockerell, T.D.A. (1906) Descriptions and records of bees. - XII. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (7), 18, 69–75.
Cockerell, T.D.A. (1909) Descriptions and records of bees. - XXIII. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (8), 4, 393–404.
Cockerell, T.D.A. (1910) Some bees from high altitudes in the Himalaya mountains. Entomologist, 43, 238–239.
Cockerell, T.D.A. (1911) Bees from the Himalaya mountains. The Entomologist, 44, 176–177.
Cockerell, T.D.A. (1917) Two new humble-bees from China. The Entomologist, 50, 265–266.
Cresson, E.T. (1863) List of the North American species of Bombus and Apathus. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia, 2, 83–116.
Dahlbom, G. (1832) Bombi Scandinaviæ monographice tractati et ionibus illustrati. London, 55 pp.
Dalla Torre, K.W.V. (1890) Hymenopterologische Notizen. Wiener entomologische Zeitung, 9, 139.
Dalla Torre, K.W.V. (1896) Catalogus hymenopterorum hucusque descriptorum systematicus et synonymicus. Volumen X: Apidae (anthophila). Lipsiae, 643 pp.
Day, M.C. (1979) The species of Hymenoptera described by Linnaeus in the genera Sphex, Chrysis, Vespa, Apis and Mutilla. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 12, 45–84.
Erichson, W.F. (1851) Hymenoptera. In: Middendorff Atv (Eds.), Reise in den Äussersten Norden und Osten Sibiriens, während der Jahre 1843 und 1844 mit allerhöchster Genehmigung auf Veranstaltung der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu St. Petersburg ausgeführt und in Verbindung mit vielen Gelehrten herausgegeben. Band II. Zoologie. Theil 1, St Petersburg, pp. 60–65.
Eversmann, E. (1846) Hymenopterorum Rossicorum species novæ vel parum cognitæ, descriptæ et ex parte depictæ. Byulleten’ Moskovskogo obshchestva ispytatelei prirody, 19, 436–443.
Fabricius, J.C. (1775) Systema entomologiae, sistens insectorum classes, ordines, genera, species, adiectis synonymis, locis, descriptionibus, observationibus. Flensburgi and Lipsiae, 832 pp.
Fabricius, J.C. (1781) Species insectorum exhibentes eorum differentias specificas, synonyma auctorum, loca natalia, metamorphosin adiectis observationibus, descriptionibus. 1 edn. Hamburg, 552 pp.
Fabricius, J.C. (1793) Entomologia systematica emendata et aucta. Secundum classes, ordines, genera, species adjectis synonimis, locis observationibus, descriptionibus. 2 edn. Hafniae, 519 pp.
Fedtschenko, A.P. (1875) Reise in Turkestan. II Zoologischer Teil. II edn. Moscow, 160 pp.
Friese, H. (1905) Neue oder wenig bekannte Hummeln des russischen Reiches (Hymenoptera). Ezhegodnik Zoologicheskago muzeya, 9, 507–523.
Friese, H. (1909) Neue Varietäten von Bombus (Hym.). Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift, 1909, 673–676.
Friese, H. (1913) Über einige neue Apiden (Hym.). Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 78, 85–89.
Friese, H. (1918) Über Hummelformen aus dem Himalaja. Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift, 1918, 81–86.
Friese, H. (1924) Über auffallende Hummelformen. (Hym. Apid.). Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift, 1924(5), 437–439.
Frison, T.H. (1930) The bumblebees of Java, Sumatra and Borneo (Bremidae: Hymenoptera). Treubia, 12, 1–22.
Frison, T.H. (1933) Records and descriptions of Bremus and Psithyrus from India (Bremidae: Hymenoptera). Record of the Indian Museum, 35, 331–342.
Frison, T.H. (1934) Records and descriptions of Bremus and Psithyrus from Formosa and the asiatic mainland. Transactions of the Natural History Society of Formosa, 24, 150–185.
Frison, T.H. (1935) Records, notes and descriptions of Bremus from Asia (Bremidae: Hymenoptera). Record of the Indian Museum, 37, 339–363.
Goulson, D., Lye, G.C. & Darvill, B. (2008) Decline and conservation of bumble bees. Annual Review of Entomology, 53, 191–208.
Grixti, J.C., Wong, L.T., Cameron, S.A. & Favret, C. (2009) Decline of bumble bees (Bombus) in the North American Midwest. Biological Conservation, 142, 75–84.
Handlirsch, A. (1888) Die Hummelsammlung des k. k. naturhistorischen Hofmuseums. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, 3, 209–250.
Huang, J.X., An, J.D., Wu, J. & Guo, Z.B. (2007) Advantage of bumblebee as pollinator for Solanum in greenhouse. Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, 23, 5–9.
Illiger, J.C.W. (1806) William Kirby’s Familien der bienenartigen Insekten, mit Zusätzen, Nachweisungen und Bemerkungen. Magazin für Insektenkunde, 5, 28–175.
Iserbyt, S., Durieux, E.A. & Rasmont, P. (2008) The remarkable diversity of bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) in the Eyne Valley (France, Pyrénées-Orientales). Annales de la Société entomologique de France (n.s.), 44, 211–241.
Jiang, S.L. (2007) A preliminary investigation on bumblebee in the Ziwuling forest region of eastern Gansu Province. Shaanxi Forest Science and Technology, 3, 96–98.
Kriechbaumer, J. (1870) Vier neue Hummelarten. Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 20, 157–160.
Kriechbaumer, J. (1877) Bombus Mocsáryi n. sp. Stettiner entomologische Zeitung, 38, 253–254.
Krüger, E. (1951) Phaenoanalytische Studien an einigen Arten der Untergattung Terrestribombus O. Vogt (Hymen. Bomb.). I. Teil. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 93, 141–197.
Lepeletier De Saint-Fargeau, A.L.M. (1835) Histoire naturelle des insectes. Hyménoptères. 1 edn. Paris (1836), 547 pp.
Linnaeus, C. (1758) Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Holmiae, 823 pp.
Linnaeus, C. (1761) Fauna Suecica sistens animalia Suecica regni: Mammalia, Aves, Amphibia, Pisces, Insecta, Vermes. Distributa per classes & ordines, genera & species, cum differentiis specierum, synonymis auctorum, nominibus incolarum, locis natalium, descriptionibus insectorum. Stockholmiae, 578 pp.
Løken, A. (1966) Notes on Fabrician species of Bombus Latr. and Psithyrus Lep., with designations of lectotypes (Hym., Apidae). Entomologiske Meddelelser, 34, 199–206.
Maa, T. (1948) On some eastern asiatic species of the genus Psithyrus Lepel. (Hymenoptera: Bombidae). Notes d’entomologie chinoise, 12, 17–37.
Morawitz, F.F. (1875) Bees. (Mellifera). In: Fedtschenko AP(Eds.), Reise in Turkestan, A. P. Fedtschenko. II Zoologischer Teil. vol. II. Moscow, 160 pp.
Morawitz, F.F. (1880) Ein Beitrag zur Bienen-Fauna mittel-Asiens. Izvêstiya Imperatorskoi akademii nauk, 26(22/36), 337–379.
Morawitz, F.F. (1887) Insecta in itinere cl. N. Przewalskii in Asia centrali novissime lecta. I. Apidae. Trudy Russkago éntomologicheskago obshchestva, 20(1886)(3/4), 195–229.
Morawitz, F.F. (1890) Insecta a cl. G. N. Potanin in China et in Mongolia novissime lecta. XIV. Hymenoptera Aculeata. II). III. Apidae. Trudy Russkago éntomologicheskago obshchestva, 24(3/4), 349–385.
Nylander, W. (1848) Adnotationes in expositionem monographicam apum borealium. Meddelanden af Societatis pro fauna et flora fennica, 1, 165–282.
Panfilov, D.V. (1956) Contribution to the taxonomy of bumblebees (Hymenoptera, Bombinae), including the description of new forms. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal, 35(9), 1325–1334.
Panfilov, D.V. (1957) [On the geographical distribution of bumblebees (Bombus) in China]. Acta geographica sinica, 23(3), 221–239.
Pérez, J. (1884) Contribution à la faune des apiaires de France. Deuxième partie. Parasites. Actes de la Société linnéenne de Bordeaux, 37, 205–380.
Pérez, J. (1905) Hyménoptères recueillis dans le Japon central, par M. Harmand, ministre plénipotentiaire de France à Tokio. Bulletin du Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, 11, 23–39.
Pesenko, Y.A. (2000) A catalogue of type specimens at the collection of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. Hymenopterous insects. No. 1. Superfamily Apoidea: genera Psithyrus LEPELETIER, 1832 and Apis LINNAEUS, 1758. Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg, 25 pp.
Pittioni, B. (1939) Neue und wenig bekannte Hummeln der Paläarktis (Hymenopt., Apidae). Konowia, 17, 244–263.
Pittioni, B. (1949) Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Bienenfauna SO-Chinas. Die Hummeln und Schmarotzerhummeln der Ausbeute J. Klapperich (1937/38). (Hym., Apoidea, Bombini). Eos, 25, 241–284.
Podbolotskaya, M.V. (1988) Redescription of the types of some Palaearctic bumble bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus Latr.). Proceedings of the Zoological Institute, Leningrad, 175, 112–122.
Popov, V.B. (1927a) New forms of the genus Psithyrus Lep. Konowia, 6(4), 267–274.
Popov, V.B. (1927b) Zur geographischen Verbreitung von Psithyrus vestalis Fourcr. und P. distinctus Pér. (Hymenoptera, Psithyridae). Russkoe éntomologicheskoe Obozrênie, 21(1/2), 128–132.
Popov, V.B. (1931) Zur Kenntnis der paläarktischen Schmarotzerhummeln (Psithyrus Lep.). Eos, 7(2), 131–209.
Radoszkowski, O. (1860) Sur quelques hyménoptères nouveaux ou peu connus de la collection du Musée de l’Académie des sciences de St. Pétersbourg. Byulleten’ Moskovskogo obshchestva ispytatelei prirody, 32(1859)(2/4), 479–486.
Radoszkowski, O. (1862) Sur quelques hyménoptères nouveaux ou peu connus. Byulleten’ Moskovskogo obshchestva ispytatelei prirody, 35(1/2), 589–598.
Radoszkowski, O. (1876) Matériaux pour servir à une faune hyménoptèrologique de la Russie. Trudy Russkago éntomologicheskago obshchestva, 12(1), 82–110.
Rasmont, P. (1983) Catalogue commenté des bourdons de la région ouest-paléarctique (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apidae). Notes Fauniques de Gembloux, 7, 1–73.
Reinig, W.F. (1930) Phaenoanalytische Studien über Rassenbildung. I. Psithyrus rupestris Fabr. Zoologische Jahrbücher, Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere, 60, 257–280.
Reinig, W.F. (1935) On the variation of Bombus lapidarius L. and its cuckoo, Psithyrus rupestris Fabr., with notes on mimetic similarity. Journal of Genetics, 30, 321–356.
Reinig, W.F. (1936) Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Hummelfauna von Mandschukuo (Hym. Apid.). Mitteilungen der Deutschen entomologischen Gesellschaft, 7, 2–10.
Reinig, W.F. (1940) Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Hummelfauna von Afghanistan. (Hym., Apid.). (Ergebnisse der Reise von H. und E. Kotzsch in den Hindukusch im Jahre 1936.). Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift, 1940, 224–235.
Richards, O.W. (1928) On a collection of humble-bees (Hymenoptera, Bombidae) made in Ladakh by Col. R. Meinertzhagen. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (10), 2, 333–336.
Richards, O.W. (1930) The humble-bees captured on the expeditions to Mt. Everest (Hymenoptera, Bombidae). Annals and Magazine of Natural History (10), 5, 633–658.
Richards, O.W. (1934) Some new species and varieties of oriental humble-bees (Hym. Bombidae). Stylops, 3, 87–90.
Richards, O.W. (1968) The subgeneric divisions of the genus Bombus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology), 22, 209–276.
Sakagami, S.F. (1972) Bumble bees collected by the California Academy - Lingnan Dawn-Redwood Expedition to central west China, 1948. Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 48, 153–174.
Schmiedeknecht, H.L.O. (1883) Apidae Europaeae (Die Bienen Europa’s) per genera, species et varietates. Dispositae atque descriptae. Volume I fascicule 6. Berlin.
Schulz, W.A. (1906). Spolia hymenopterologica. Paderborn, 356 pp.
Schrank, F.D.P. (1802) Fauna boica. Durchgedachte Geschichte der in Baiern einheimischen und zahmen Thiere. Ingolstadt, 412 pp.
Seidl, W.B. (1837) Die in Böhmen vorkommenden Hummelarten. Beiträge zur gesammten Natur-und Heilwissenschaft, 2, 65–73.
Skorikov, A.S. (1910a) [Intraspecific forms of Bombus mendax Gerst.] (Hymenoptera, Bombidae). Russkoe éntomologicheskoe Obozrênie, 9(1909)(3), 328–330.
Skorikov, A.S. (1910b) [New forms of bumblebees] (Hymenoptera, Bombidae). ([Preliminary diagnoses]). III. Russkoe éntomologicheskoe Obozrênie, 9(1909)(4), 409–413.
Skorikov, A.S. (1910c) Revision der in der Sammlung des weil. Prof. E. A. Eversmann befindlichen Hummeln. Trudy Russkago éntomologicheskago obshchestva, 39, 570–584.
Skorikov, A.S. (1912) Neue Hummelformen (Hymenoptera, Bombidae). IV. Russkoe éntomologicheskoe Obozrênie, 12(3), 606–610.
Skorikov, A.S. (1913) Neue Hummelformen (Hymenoptera, Bombidae). V. Russkoe éntomologicheskoe Obozrênie, 13(1), 171–175.
Skorikov, A.S. (1914) Les formes nouvelles des bourdons (Hymenoptera, Bombidae). VI. Russkoe éntomologicheskoe Obozrênie, 14(1), 119–129.
Skorikov, A.S. (1922) [Bumblebees of the Petrograd Province]. In: Faunae Petropolitanae catalogus. vol. 2. Petrogradskii agronomicheskii institut, Petrograd, 51 pp.
Skorikov, A.S. (1923) [Palaearctic bumblebees. Part I. General biology (including zoogeography)]. Izvestiya Severnoi oblastnoi stantsii zashchity rastenii ot vreditelei, 4(1922)(1), 1–160.
Skorikov, A.S. (1931) Die Hummelfauna Turkestans und ihre Beziehungen zur zentralasiatischen Fauna (Hymenoptera, Bombidae). In: Lindholm V.A. (Eds.), Abhandlungen der Pamir-Expedition 1928. vol. 8. Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad, pp. 175–247.
Skorikov, A.S. (1933a) Zur Fauna und Zoogeographie der Hummeln des Himalaya. Doklady Akademii nauk SSSR, 1933(5), 243–248.
Skorikov, A.S. (1933b) Zur Hummelfauna Japans und seiner Nachbarländer. Mushi, 6(2), 53–65.
Smith, F. (1852a) Descriptions of some new and apparently undescribed species of hymenopterous insects from north China, collected by Robert Fortune, Esq. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 2(2), 33–45.
Smith, F. (1852b) Descriptions of some hymenopterous insects from northern India. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 2(2), 45–48.
Smith, F. (1861) Descriptions of new genera and species of exotic Hymenoptera. Journal of Entomology, 1(3), 146–155.
Smith, F. (1869) Descriptions of Hymenoptera from Japan. Entomologist, 4(62), 205–208.
Smith, F. (1870) [V. Notes on the habits of some hymenopterous insects from the North-west Provinces of India. By Charles Horne, Esq., B.C.S., F.Z.S.] With an appendix, containing descriptions of some new species of Apidae and Vespidae collected by Mr. Horne: by Frederick Smith, of the British Museum. Illustrated by plates from drawings by the author of the notes. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, 7(3), 161–196.
Smith, F. (1871) Descriptions of some new insects collected by Dr. Anderson during the expedition to Yunan [sic]. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1871(1), 244–249.
Smith, F. (1878) Scientific results of the Second Yarkand Mission. Hymenoptera. Government Print Office, Calcutta, 22 pp.
Smith, F. (1879) Descriptions of new species of Hymenoptera in the collection of the British Museum. Trustees of the British Museum, London, 240 pp.
Thorp, R.W., Horning, D.S. & Dunning, L.L. (1983) Bumble bees and cuckoo bumble bees of California (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Bulletin of the California Insect Survey, 23, 1–79.
Tkalců, B. (1961) Zur Hummelfauna der Umgebung Kuku-Nors (Hymenoptera, Bombinae). Casopis Ceskoslovenské spolecnosti entomologické, 58, 344–379.
Tkalců, B. (1967) Sur deux espèces de bourdons décrites par William Nylander (Hymenoptera, Apoidea: Bombus). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de Mulhouse, 1967, 41–58.
Tkalců, B. (1968) Neue Arten der Unterfamilie Bombinae der paläarktischen Region (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Sborník Entomologického oddeleni Národního musea v Praze, 65, 21–51.
Tkalců, B. (1969) Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Fauna Afghanistans (Sammelergebnisse von O. Jakes 1963–64, D. Povolny 1965, D. Povolny & Fr. Tenora 1966, J. Simek 1965–66, D. Povolny, J. Geisler, Z. Sebek & Fr. Tenora 1967). Bombinae, Apoidea, Hym. Casopis Moravského musea v Brne, 53(1968), 189–210.
Tkalců, B. (1974a) Ergebnisse der 1. und 2. mongolisch-tschechoslowakischen entomologisch-botanischen Expedition in der Mongolei. Nr. 29: Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Bombinae. Sborník faunistickych prací Entomologického oddelení Národního musea v Praze, 15, 25–57.
Tkalců, B. (1974b) Eine Hummel-Ausbeute aus dem Nepal-Himalaya (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Bombinae). Senckenbergiana biologica, 55, 311–349.
Tkalců, B. (1987) Nouveaux synonymes chez les Bombinae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de Mulhouse, 1987, 59–64.
Tkalců, B. (1989) Neue Taxa asiatischer Hummeln (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Acta entomologica bohemoslovaca, 86, 39–60.
Velthuis, H.H.W. & van Doorn, A. (2006) A century of advances in bumblebee domestication and the economic and environmental aspects of its commercialization for pollination. Apidologie, 37, 421–451.
Villers, C.J.D. (1789) Caroli Linnæi entomologia, faunæ Suecicæ descriptionibus aucta; DD. Scopoli, Geoffroy, de Geer, Fabricii, Schrank, &c. speciebus vel in systemate non enumeratis, vel nuperrime detectis, vel speciebus Galliæ australis locupletata, generum specierumque rariorum iconibus ornata; curante & augente Carolo de Villers, Acad. Lugd. Maffil. Villa-Fr. Rhotom. necnon geometriæ regio professore. 3 edn. Piestre et Delamolliere, Lugduni, 657 pp.
Vogt, O. (1908) Bombi (Hummeln). In: Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse von Expedition Filchner nach China und Tibet 1903–1905, X. Band - I. Teil, 1. Abschnitt: Zoologische Sammlungen, Berlin, pp. 100–101.
Vogt, O. (1909) Studien über das Artproblem. 1. Mitteilung. Über das Variieren der Hummeln. 1. Teil. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin, 1909, 28–84.
Vogt, O. (1911) Studien über das Artproblem. 2. Mitteilung. Über das Variieren der Hummeln. 2. Teil. (Schluss). Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin, 1911, 31–74.
Wu, J., An, J.D., Yao, J., Huang, J.X. & Feng, X.Q. (2009) Bombus fauna (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in Hebei, China. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 34, 87–97.
Wang, S.F. (1979) Three new species of bomble [sic] bees from Tibet. Acta entomologica sinica, 22(2), 188–191.
Wang, S.F. (1982) Hymenoptera: Apidae-Bombus. In: Qinghai-Tibet plateau Comprehensive Scientific Investigation Team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Eds.), Insects of Xizang, vol II. Science Press, Beijing, pp. 427–447.
Wang, S.F & Yao, J. (1985) Apidae-Bombus. In: Organisms of the Tuomuerfeng region of Tianshan. Sinkiang Renmin Publishing House, Urumchi, pp. 160–165.
Wang, S.F. & Yao, J. (2004) Bombini. In: He J.H. (Eds.), Hymenopteran Insect Fauna of Zhejiang. Science Press, Beijing, pp. 1058–1070.
Warncke, K. (1986) Die Wildbienen Mitteleuropas ihre gültigen Namen und ihre Verbreitung (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Entomofauna (supplement), 3, 1–128.
Williams, P.H. (1991) The bumble bees of the Kashmir Himalaya (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology), 60, 1–204.
Williams, P.H. (1998) An annotated checklist of bumble bees with an analysis of patterns of description (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini). Bulletin of The Natural History Museum (Entomology), 67, 79–152.
Williams, P.H. (2007) The distribution of bumblebee colour patterns world-wide: possible significance for thermoregulation, crypsis, and warning mimicry. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 92, 97–118.
Williams, P.H., Cameron, S.A., Hines, H.M., Cederberg, B. & Rasmont, P. (2008) A simplified subgeneric classification of the bumblebees (genus Bombus). Apidologie, 39, 46–74.
Williams, P.H., Tang, Y., Yao, J. & Cameron, S. (2009) The bumblebees of Sichuan (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini). Systematics & Biodiversity, 7(2), 101–190.
Williams, P.H. (2011) Bumblebees collected by the Kyushu University Expeditions to Central Asia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, genus Bombus). Esakia, 50, 27–36.
Xie, Z.H., Williams, P.H. & Tang, Y. (2008) The effect of grazing on bumblebees in the high rangelands of the eastern Tibetan Plateau of Sichuan. Journal of Insect Conservation, 12, 695–703.
Yao, J. & Luo, C. (1997) Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombini. In: Yang X.K. (Eds.), Insects of the Three Gorge Reservoir Area of Yangtze River. vol. 2. Chongqing Publishing House, Chongqing, pp. 1686–1696.
Yao, J. & Wang, S.F. (2005) Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombini. In: Yang X.K. (Eds.), Insect fauna of middle-west Qinling range and south mountains of Gansu Province. Science Press, Beijing, pp. 890–896.
Yasumatsu, K. (1934) Eine neue, Bombus ignitus ähnliche Schmarotzerhummel aus Korea (Hymenoptera, Bombidæ). Annotationes zoologicae japonensis, 14, 399–403.