Bombus auricomus

{{Short description|Species of bee}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Bombus auricomus 38022015.jpg

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Hatfield, R. |author2=Jepsen, S. |author3=Thorp, R. |author4=Richardson, L. |author5=Colla, S. |date=2015 |title=Bombus auricomus |volume=2015 |page=e.T44936424A46440186 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T44936424A46440186.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}

| genus = Bombus

| parent = Bombus (Bombias)

| species = auricomus

| authority = (Robertson, 1903)

}}

File:Bombus auricomas, F, Side, Baltimore, MD 2013-06-20-17.33.32 ZS PMax (9101263460).jpg

Bombus auricomus is a species of bumblebee known by the common name black and gold bumblebee. It is native to eastern North America, including Ontario in Canada and much of the eastern United States, as far west as the Great Plains.

This species creates above-ground nests in grassland and other open habitat types. It feeds at many types of plants, including thistles, prairie clovers, delphiniums, teasels, echinacea, bergamot, penstemons, clovers, and vetches.

This is a fairly large bumblebee; workers and males are about 1.7 to 2.0 cm long, while queens can be up to 2.5 cm in length. {{cite web |url=https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/species/description/365144/Bombus-auricomus |title=Bombus auricomus Black and gold bumble bee |publisher=Michigan State University |website=Michigan Natural Features Inventory |access-date=May 6, 2023 }}

This bee was previously thought to be conspecific with the Nevada bumblebee (B. nevadensis), but the two are now considered separate species.