Bombus ruderarius subsp. montanus Lepeletier 1836

Bombus ruderarius montanus Lepeletier, 1836

It has a wider distribution than the nominate subspecies, from the Pyrenees along the Cantabrian Range, to Picos de Europa and Sierra de los Ancares, entering into further south at higher elevations in the Guadalajara, La Rioja, Soria, Segovia and Teruel provinces, from 150 (in the north) to 2200 m (Ornosa & Ortiz-Sanchez, 2004).

At present it has been collected in the Pyrenees between 1430 and 2300 m (Fig. 7), in forest, upper forest grasslands and bogs and in mixed forests with beech and pine wood of Pinus uncinata and Pinus sylvestris with patches of subalpine scrub of Juniperus communis nana Willd., Rhododendron ferrugineum and Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull, foraging on Acinos alpinum (L.), Centaurea scabiosa L., Cirsium acaule (L.) Scop., Cirsium monspessulanum (L.) Hill, Cynoglossum officinale L., Echium vulgare L., Eryngium bourgatii Gouan., Eriophorum angustifolium Honck., Gentiana lutea L., Jurinea humilis (Desf.) DC., Lotus corniculatus L., Origanum vulgare L., Phlomis lychnitis L., Ranunculus acris L., Rhododendron ferrugineum L., Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq., Trifolium pratense L., Trifolium repens L. and Vicia cracca L.

This bee is not regarded as being scarce or threatened (Table 2), but exhibits greater orophilous tendency (Fig. 7).

New records. Andorra: Soldeu, 28- VII-2006, 2 males, 6 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME.

Spain: Girona: Formigal, ski resort, 9- VII-2009, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Camprodón, ski resort, 23- VII-2009, 2 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; La Molina, Alabaus, 9- VII-2015, 1 worker, F. Torres leg., UCME; La Molina, La Pobla road, 25- VII-2009, 5 males, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; La Molina, ski resort, 9- VII-2015, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Huesca: Baños de Benasque, 14- VII-2011, 3 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Canfranc, railway station, 3- VII-2006, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Cerler, 13- VII-2011, 1 queen, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; La Besurta, Ibón de Villamorta, 15- VII-2011, 1 queen, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Las Cutas track, 11- VII-2013, 5 queens, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Vallibierna, 15- VII-2011, 1 male, 1 queen, 10 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME. Lleida: Aigüestortes threshold, 26- VII-2006, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Artiga de Lin, 14- VIII-2012, 1 worker, P. De la Rúa leg, UMU; Baños de Tredós, 10 - VII-2014, 8 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Baños de Tredós, slope, 10- VII-2014, 11 worker, F. Torres leg., UCME; San Nicolás chapel-Estany Llebrera, 9- VII-2014, 4 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Estany Llong, 9- VII-2014, 3 queens, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Estany Sant Maurici, 26- VII-2006, 1 worker; 8 - VII-2014, 6 workers; C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Estany Ratera – Mirador track, 26- VII-2006, 3 males, 1 queen, 6 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Estany Ratera track, 26- VII-2006, 2 males, 10 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Grasslands between Estany Ratera and Estany Sant Maurici, 26- VII- 2006, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; La Bonaigua, La Peülla, 27- VII-2006, 1 worker, C. Ornosa leg., UCME; Ruda track, 10- VII-2014, 5 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME. Navarra: Abodi pass, 11 - VII-2009, 2 workers, C. Ornosa leg., UCME.