The Bees

Bumble bees are especially important to mountain meadows because they pollinate a wide variety of flowers. Below are the bees most likely found in the North Cascades.

Bombus melanopygus

Bombus sitkensis

Bombus flavifrons

Bombus mixtus

Bombus vosnesenskii

Bombus occidentalis

These illustrations are from the USDA Forest Service "Bumble Bees of the Western United States".

USDA Forest Service poster "Bumble Bees of the Western United States"

For a thorough key to these bumble bees, see the US Forest Services Bumble Bee Guide