75. Bombus (Melanobombus) sichelii Radoszkowski

(Figs 152, 153)

BOMBUS SICHELII Radoszkowski, 1860:481 .

Bombus sicheli ssp. chinganicus Reinig, 1936:6 (not of Reinig, 1936:8 = B. bohemicus Seidl).

Material examined. 11 queens, 375 workers, 82 males (IAB).

Distribution in North China. Primarily in the Great Khingan mountains, the Bashang plateau, the loess plateau and edge of the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Common at low elevations of the northern Great Khingan mountains in Elunchun, Genhe, Eerguna, Yakeshi and Keshiketeng, northeast of Neimenggu, at medium elevations of the Liupanshan mountains in southern Ningxia, and at medium elevations of the loess plateau in Gansu, at medium to high elevations of northern Qilianshan mountains in Gansu. Rare at medium elevations of the Bashang plateau in Hebei, at medium to high elevations of the Taihangshan mountains in Shanxi, and at high elevations of the east Qinghai-Tibetan plateau meadows in Gansu. 92 localities (Fig. 152) between 315–3454 m (IAB).

Similar species in North China. This species is similar in its orange-tailed colour pattern to some B. patagiatus (see the key; Figs 131, 153).

Distribution in China. Hebei, Shanxi, Neimenggu, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Sichuan, Xizang, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang (IAB).

Forage plants. ALLIACEAE: Allium thunbergii; ASTERACEAE: Achillea millefolium, Artemisia palustris, Bidens frondosa, Centaurea cyanus, Chrysanthemum chanetii, Cirsium setosum, Cosmos bipinnatus, Rudbeckia hirta, Saussurea sp.; Serratula coronata; Sonchus brachyotus, Tagetes patula, Sonchus oleraceus, Zinnia elegans; CAMPANULACEAE: v Adenophora wawreana,v Campanula glomerata; vCARYOPHYLLACEAE:v Dianthus chinensis, Gypsophila pacifica, Silene aprica, Silene vulgaris, Stellaria radians; CRASSULACEAE: Hylotelephium erythrostictum, Orostachys fimbriata, O. malacophylla, Phedimus aizoon; FABACEAE: Astragalus dahuricus; Hedysarum mongolicum, Melilotus officinalis, Vicia amoena, V. cracca, V. unijuga; GENTIANACEAE: Halenia elliptica; LAMIACEAE: Caryopteris incana, C. tangutica, Clinopodium urticifolium, Dracocephalum heterophyllum, Elsholtzia densa, Leonurus sibiricus, Salvia przewalskii, Salvia sp.; MALVACEAE: Gossypium hirsutum; ONAGRACEAE: Chamerion angustifolium; PAPAVERACEAE: papaver nudicaule; POLEMONIACEAE: Phlox drummondii; RANUNCULACEAE: Aconitum flavum, A. kusnezoffii, Delphinium grandiflorum; ROSACEAE: Sanguisorba tenuifolia; SCROPHULARIACEAE: Euphrasia pectinata, Pedicularis torta, Pedicularis sp., Pseudolysimachion linariifolium; POLYGONACEAE: Polygonum hydropiper, Polygonum sp.; SOLANACEAE: Petunia hybrida .