Suckley’s cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus suckleyi) is named after a physician and naturalist who explored Oregon and Washington in the 1850s.
This species is a social parasite of the western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis). It has been found in the mountainous areas of western North America from Colorado to Alaska. However, there have only been a few observations in the past 20 years with the last in 2017 in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
Its decline is linked to the decline of its host species the western bumble bee. The US Fish and Wildlife Service made a decision about this species being listed under the Endangered Species Act and a listing decision is out for comments as of 2025. Bombus suckleyi hasn’t been found by Oregon Bee Atlas volunteers, but finding this species would greatly help its conservation.
