Yellow-faced bumblebee
Bombus vosnesenskii
Robust bee with yellow-and-black fuzzy bands and black tail. Prefers open sunny areas; early-season forager even in cool weather. Powerful buzz-pollinator for native plants and crops like blueberries.
Plants that support Yellow-faced bumblebee
152 plants
Alameda Manzanita
Arctostaphylos pallida
shrub
Spring nectar foraging on manzanita flowers
Alpine Self-heal
Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata
perennial herb
Early spring foraging for colony establishment
Arctic Butterbur
Petasites frigidus var. palmatus
perennial herb
Spring foraging resource for worker bees
Arroyo Willow
Salix lasiolepis
shrub
Early catkins support spring foraging
Bald-hip Rose
Rosa gymnocarpa
shrub
Active forager on available blooms mid-summer
Barberry
Berberis pinnata subsp. pinnata
shrub
Early spring foraging resource for colony establishment
Bearberry Honeysuckle
Lonicera involucrata var. ledebourii
shrub
Early season nectar and pollen for colony establishment
Beard-Tongue
Penstemon grinnellii
perennial herb
Early season foraging on Penstemon flowers
Big Deervetch
Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia
perennial herb
Early season forager on legume flowers; colony establishment diet
Big-leaf Maple
Acer macrophyllum
tree
Primary pollen and nectar source during bloom Apr-May; colony establishment
Bigberry Manzanita
Arctostaphylos glauca
shrub
Nectar and pollen foraging during bloom and colony growth period
Black Sage
Salvia mellifera
shrub
Apr-Jul bloom; early season forager for queen establishment
Bleeding-heart
Dicentra formosa
perennial herb
Spring forager; visits flowers during bloom period
Bog Lupine
Lupinus polyphyllus
perennial herb
early spring forager, critical for colony establishment
Branching Phacelia
Phacelia ramosissima
perennial herb
Early spring foraging during colony initiation
Bright Green Dudleya
Dudleya virens
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony establishment
Bristly Jewelflower
Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus
annual
Early season pollen and nectar foraging
California Buttercup
Ranunculus californicus var. californicus
perennial herb
Spring foraging for early colonies
California Coffeeberry
Frangula californica
shrub
Important spring nectar source for colony growth
California Figwort
Scrophularia californica
perennial herb
Early spring forager (Mar-May); critical pollen source for colony establishment
California Flannel Bush
Fremontodendron californicum
shrub
Early spring foraging Apr-May, critical for colony establishment
California Hedgenettle
Stachys bullata
perennial herb
Spring to early summer flower visitation for pollen and nectar
California Larkspur
Delphinium californicum subsp. californicum
perennial herb
Early spring forager, critical for colony establishment
California Lilac (Blue Blossom)
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
shrub
Early spring blooms fuel colony establishment Mar-May
California Saxifrage
Micranthes californica
perennial herb
Early season native pollinator; California endemic
California Tea
Rupertia physodes
perennial herb
early season pollen source for emerging colonies
California blackberry
Rubus ursinus
shrub
Spring flower blooming period, early colony provisioning
California pearly everlasting
Pseudognaphalium californicum
perennial herb
visits flowers for nectar during active foraging season; important regional pollinator
California skullcap
Scutellaria californica
perennial herb
spring foraging for colony establishment
California sunflower
Helianthus californicus
perennial herb
native bumblebee utilizing flower resources during peak bloom period
Cascade Canada Goldenrod
Solidago elongata
perennial herb
primary forager on goldenrod flowers mid to late summer
Chaparral Clarkia
Clarkia affinis
annual
Early season nectar resource during colony establishment phase
Chaparral Currant
Ribes malvaceum
shrub
Fall-winter foraging for colony provisioning
Chaparral Mallow
Malacothamnus fasciculatus
shrub
Early spring colony establishment and worker foraging
Chaparral Pea
Pickeringia montana var. montana
shrub
Spring and early summer nectar collection
Chapparal Monkeyflower
Diplacus linearis
perennial herb
primary pollinator for monkeyflower blooms
Checker Bloom
Sidalcea malviflora
perennial herb
Spring-early summer foraging during bloom period
Chinese Houses
Collinsia heterophylla
annual
Spring and early summer foraging; important early season resource
Cliff Maids
Lewisia cotyledon
perennial herb
Spring and early summer colony provisioning
Coast Larkspur
Delphinium decorum subsp. decorum
annual
Important summer nectar source for colony provisioning
Coast Larkspur
Delphinium hesperium subsp. hesperium
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony expansion
Coast Range Mule-ears
Wyethia glabra
perennial herb
Forages on flowers for pollen and nectar throughout active season
Coast Wallflower
Erysimum capitatum
perennial herb
Early season nectar source critical for colony establishment
Coastal Moonshine
Deinandra corymbosa
annual
Forages on composite flower heads during peak bloom
Coastal Tidy-tips
Layia platyglossa
annual
Early season pollen source for queen provisioning and colony growth
Collared Annual Lupine
Lupinus truncatus
annual
spring forage for colony growth and reproduction
Common Pearlyeverlasting
Anaphalis margaritacea
perennial herb
Summer foraging peak Jul-Aug during worker production
Common Snowberry
Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus
shrub
Early spring pollinator; native California bumblebee visiting flowers
Coyote Brush
Baccharis pilularis
shrub
Critical late-season nectar source Sep-Dec for colony provisioning before winter dormancy
Creeping Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium var. repens
shrub
Spring foraging and pollen collection during colony establishment
Cupido Mariposa Lily
Calochortus uniflorus
perennial herb
early spring foraging for emerging queen colonies
Deerbrush
Ceanothus integerrimus
perennial herb
Early season pollen and nectar source for spring colonies
Deerweed
Acmispon glaber
shrub
Year-round bloomer provides extended nectar availability; critical early season resource Jan-Mar for colony establishment
Dense-flower Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja densiflora subsp. Densiflora
annual
Spring foraging resource
Douglas Iris
Iris douglasiana
perennial herb
Early spring forager Mar-May during bloom, critical for colony establishment
Douglas' Drymocallis
Drymocallis glandulosa
perennial herb
Early foraging for colony initiation
Exserted Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja exserta subsp. exserta
annual
primary spring foraging resource
Facelia
Phacelia tanacetifolia
annual
Early season pollen and nectar for queen establishment
Fairy Fans
Clarkia breweri
annual
early spring pollinator of Clarkia species in California foothills
False Babystars
Leptosiphon androsaceus
annual
early season nectar source during colony establishment and worker production
Flat-bud Prickly Poppy
Argemone munita
annual
Early season queen foraging and worker pollen collection
Flatface Calicoflower
Downingia pulchella
annual
early spring nectar and pollen collection
Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
shrub
Early spring nectar and pollen source (Jan-Apr) for queen foraging and colony establishment
Fool's-onion
Triteleia hyacinthina
geophyte
Pollen collection during colony establishment phase
Foothill Penstemon
Penstemon heterophyllus
perennial herb
Forages on pollen and nectar Apr-Jul during extended bloom period
Fringecups
Tellima grandiflora
perennial herb
Early season pollen and nectar source for colony establishment in coastal California
Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry
Ribes speciosum
shrub
larval host plant; early season forage for colony establishment
Golden Currant
Ribes aureum
shrub
Early pollen and nectar source for colony establishment
Golden yarrow
Eriophyllum confertiflorum
shrub
Early spring nectar for colony founding
Goldencarpet Buckwheat
Eriogonum luteolum var. caninum
perennial herb
Forages on flowers when in bloom; important early season pollen source for colony establishment
Graceful Clarkia
Clarkia gracilis ssp. tracyi
perennial herb
Early spring foraging Mar-May, critical for colony establishment
Grayleaf Skullcap
Scutellaria siphocampyloides
perennial herb
Spring foraging during colony establishment
Ground Iris
Iris macrosiphon
perennial herb
Visits iris flowers during spring bloom for pollen collection
Hansen's Larkspur
Delphinium hansenii
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for queen establishment and worker provisioning
Harvest Brodiaea
Brodiaea elegans
geophyte
Queens and workers forage on blooms during spring season
Hooker's Onion
Allium acuminatum
geophyte
Early season nectar and pollen source for colony growth
Horkelia
Horkelia californica
perennial herb
early spring forager, critical for colony establishment
Indian Thistle
Cirsium brevistylum
annual
Early spring foraging for colony establishment
Indian Warrior
Pedicularis densiflora
perennial herb
Spring nectar source for queens establishing colonies
Interior Goldenbush
Ericameria linearifolia
shrub
Forages on flowers; year-round blooming of plant provides consistent resource
Jepson's Coyote Thistle*
Eryngium jepsonii
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony establishment
June Centaury
Zeltnera muehlenbergii
annual
early season nectar source during colony establishment and worker production
Large Leather-root
Hoita macrostachya
perennial herb
Spring foraging for colony establishment
Large-flowered Collomia
Collomia grandiflora
annual
Early season nectar source for colony establishment
Lindley's Blazing Star
Mentzelia lindleyi
annual
early season forage for colony establishment
Lippia
Phyla nodiflora
perennial herb
Spring through early summer nectar foraging; critical early season resource
Mariposa Lily*
Calochortus pulchellus
geophyte
Early season nectar source for queen establishment and worker provisioning
Meadow Larkspur*
Delphinium patens subsp. patens
perennial herb
Early spring foraging resource for new colonies
Mosquito Bills
Primula hendersonii
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for queen establishment and colony founding
Mount Diablo Manzanita
Arctostaphylos auriculata
shrub
Early spring foraging when colony establishing; important early pollen source
Mountain Coyote Mint
Monardella odoratissima
perennial herb
Early spring forager; queens emerging from hibernation April-May
Mt. Diablo Helianthella
Helianthella castanea
perennial herb
Foraging on flowers during bloom period
Napa False Indigo
Amorpha californica var. napensis
perennial herb
native pollinator accessing nectar throughout blooming period
Ninebark
Physocarpus capitatus
shrub
Early spring forager on ninebark flowers for nectar and pollen
Nipomo Mesa Ceanothus
Ceanothus impressus var. nipomensis
shrub
Spring flowering provides early-season protein for colony establishment
Nootka Rose
Rosa nutkana
perennial herb
Spring and early summer forager on rose flowers
Ocean Spray
Holodiscus discolor
shrub
Jun-Aug bloom period; important for worker maintenance and brood provisioning
Pacific Black-snakeroot
Sanicula crassicaulis
perennial herb
Spring pollen forage for colony development
Pacific stonecrop
Sedum spathulifolium
perennial herb
Spring bloom period provides early-season forage for colony development
Pink Honeysuckle
Lonicera hispidula
vine
Nectar and pollen collection during bloom season
Popcorn-flower
Plagiobothrys nothofulvus
annual
Spring foraging for nectar and pollen during colony establishment
Puget Balsamroot
Balsamorhiza deltoidea
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony establishment
Purple Black-snakeroot
Sanicula bipinnatifida
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony establishment
Red-Spot Clarkia
Clarkia speciosa
perennial herb
Spring nectar foraging during colony establishment
Red-flowering buckwheat
Eriogonum grande var. rubescens
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony establishment
Redwood Inside-out-flower
Vancouveria planipetala
perennial herb
early spring forager for queen establishment and worker production
Rincon Manzanita
Arctostaphylos stanfordiana ssp. decumbens
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for queen establishment and colony founding
Rough Hedgenettle
Stachys rigida var. quercetorum
perennial herb
Spring foraging for queen establishment and worker nutrition
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa
perennial herb
Primary pollinator; visits flowers for nectar and pollen collection
Salmonberry
Rubus spectabilis
perennial herb
Spring-early summer nectar source
San Joaquin Milk Vetch
Astragalus asymmetricus
perennial herb
Early season foraging during queen establishment and colony growth
Santa Rosa Horkelia
Horkelia tenuiloba
perennial herb
early spring nectar source for colony establishment and queen provisioning
Scarlet Bugler
Penstemon centranthifolius
perennial herb
spring and early summer colony establishment and brood rearing
Showy Penstemon
Penstemon spectabilis
perennial herb
Spring colony establishment and worker foraging
Showy Rock Montia
Montia parvifolia
perennial herb
Early spring pollen and nectar collection for colony growth
Sierra False Bindweed
Calystegia malacophylla subsp. Pedicellata
perennial herb
early spring foraging when flowers bloom, supports colony establishment