Does this Red-tailed Bumble Bee have deformed wings?

[clicka15]

Hi everyone.

I think it's a Red-tailed Bumble Bee anyway. Well, you can see that it's wings are not properly formed. It caught my eye because it looked and sounded a bit distressed - obviously because it wanted to take off but couldn't.

I wondered: is this a genetic defect or something else? A parasitic problem? Has anyone seen this before? I know there is a general percentage of life that has genetic deformity. The poor little fella didn't have much chance whatever it was. Sad.



Steve.

[eucera]

Yes to both.

It is Bombus lapidarius and yes... its wings are deformed. The reasons are impossible to determine I'm afraid.