Brown-banded Carder-Bumble bee

The brown-banded carder bee is medium-sized with a relatively long tongue. The queen is 16–18 mm (0.63–0.71 in) long, the worker 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in). The thorax is usually yellow-orange on top, with beige flanks, but may be dark brown. Most of the abdomen is beige, too, although with a somewhat striped effect. Both queens (the reproductive females) and workers usually have a broad, dark brown band (hence the common name) on the upper side of the abdomen, near the front, although it can be missing on some workers. A few black hairs - may only be one or two – are present on the thorax near the wing-bases. Males are similar to queens, but they lack stings and have longer antennae.

The brown-banded carder bee favours vast grasslands. In Central Asia, it is an alpine species, living at altitudes of 3,000–3,900 m (9,800–12,800 ft). Among the plants visited are Trifolium pratense (red clover), Centaurea (knapweed) and Vicia (vetches).