Queen Yellow-banded kw'ıahnǫ (Bumblebee) on willow, Ontario. Photo credit: Sarah Johnson. Used with permission

Queen Yellow-banded kw'ıahnǫ (Bumblebee) on willow, Ontario. Photo credit: Sarah Johnson. Used with permission

Spotlight on a Species at Risk - Yellow-banned kw'ıahnǫ (Bumblebee)

This installment of our Spotlight on a Species at Risk is on the Yellow-banded kw'ıahnǫ (Bumblebee). This can be found across Canada in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Its characteristics are that it has a short face and tongue compared with other species of . Additionally, it is medium in size with black hair across the upper abdomen, with a thick band of yellow on the second and third segments. Check out the image for a close up of their distinctive colouring.

Though the Yellow-banded kw'ıahnǫ is considered Not at Risk under the Species at Risk (NWT), it was assessed as Special Concern in May 2015 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) due to a noticeable decline in population in southern Canada. This faces several threats such as pathogens, pollution, pesticides including insecticides, herbicides and fungicides, agriculture, and climate change. There are two management objectives for this species of : ensure an increase in population where it has declined and maintain populations throughout the rest of its range in Canada.