Included here are two large species that are almost entirely yellow, plus the Yellow-Banded Bumble Bee which is more than 1/2 yellow on the abdomen, and two species that can occasionally appear as mostly yellow.
![](https://val.vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Bombus-borealis-1-e1617382680562-400x155.jpg)
Northern Amber Bumble Bee (Bombus borealis)
Abdomen yellow to orange, thorax with a thick black band, and black wing pits. Photo © Kent McFarland
![](https://val.vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Bombus-fervvdus-e1617384721434-400x155.jpg)
Golden Northern Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus)
Abdomen yellow, thorax with a thin black band, yellow wing pits. Photo © Spencer Hardy
![](https://val.vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Bombus-terricola-e1649167820564-400x155.jpg)
Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola)
Abdomen black on either end with two wide yellow segments in the middle, back half of thorax usually black. Photo © Kent McFarland
![](https://val.vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Bombus-ternarius-1-e1617382730534-400x155.jpg)
Tricolored Bumble Bee (Bombus ternarius)
Thorax with distinct black shield. Abdomen usually distinctly red, though some individuals appear a faded orange, similar to Northern Amber Bumble Bees. Photo © Kent McFarland
![](https://val.vtecostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Bombus-perplexus-m-e1617386012563-400x155.jpg)
Perplexing Bumble Bee (Bombus perplexus)
Females with abdominal yellow limited the first two segments. Males can have yellow on the first 3 or 4 segments. Thorax usually without a large black dot.