Black-tailed bumblebee

..or build some of these for your yard http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYdEaWC2K28/T-...

Good job people ! Grow lots of flower plants for them :)

Thanks to Hayley Nasman for the current ID. Online images of Bombus melanopygus match the image for this spotting almost exactly. B. huntii image
comparisons were just "close."

Hayley, you are correct. Although the Pacific is only 50 miles or so from Portland, and the Columbia River is tidal there, the coast range separates the Willamette Valley from the littoral zone. Portland is close to the coast, but not in a coastal environment. As for image quality, the circumstances were different between your spotting and mine. My spotting was made in winter. The bee was lethargic, so it was easy to get a close-up.

We are somewhat sheltered by the valley...? I will guess this species for my spotting as well, though my picture is not nearly as good.

Thanks Mark. From several similar-appearing Bombus species, Bombus huntii seems the correct choice for this spotting, despite a remark on range in the EOL link which notes that B. huntii has not been reported in coastal areas. This is marginally relevant. Although this spotting did not occur in a coastal area, it was close. On the other hand, failure to observe something is not proof of its absence . . .

As it turns out B Iapponicus is not in that part of the world but B huntii is very much there - and looks almost identical.

Yes it's about species Hayley. There's many similar combinations of these colors. I think this one might be Bombus lapponicus.

I just saw a bee like this with an orange color. I wonder if it's a question of species or maturity?

Beautiful coloured bee Allen.