First Record of <i>Bombus rainai</i> (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from Gurez Valley of Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir, India

The present study documents a new distributional record of Bombus rainai (Hymenoptera: Apidae), a member of the subgenus Alpigenobombus from the Gurez valley Bandipora district, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Extensive field surveys conducted across diverse habitats at altitudes ranging from 2100-2500m AMSL revealed B. rainai as a key pollinator in this ecologically significant Himalayan region. Bumblebees including B. rainai (Orange tailed Bhawra) play a vital role in maintaining plant diversity, ecosystem stability and genetic resilience particularly in the high altitude environments where pollination resources are limited. Their foraging behaviour and floral preferences significantly influence population dynamics, ensuring reproductive success and genetic diversity in alpine plant species. The study provides diagnostic morphological characteristics, georeferenced data and relevant illustrations to aid in species identification and ecological assessment. The finding not only expands the known geographical range of B. rainai but also emphasizes the importance of conserving pollinators vital to sustaining fragile mountain ecosystems and recognizing their ecological significance is essential for biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability in the Himalaya.