New distributional record and Floral preference of Bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of Rakchham Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh

The current study presents new distributional records of the bumblebee fauna from the Rakchham Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary in the Sangla Valley of Himachal Pradesh. A total of eleven species of bumblebees were identified and recorded for the first time, viz. Bombus longiceps, B. keriensis, B. rufofasciatus, B. simillimus, B. breviceps, B. jacobsoni, B. tunicatus, B. parthenius, B. lepidus, B. himalayanus and B. festivus. Emphasis has been placed on their detailed taxonomic descriptions, synonymy, host plants, ecology, distribution patterns, and illustrations.