I encountered this bee on the shores of Lake Superior and was certain that it was the Half-black Bumblebee (Bombus vagans). However after some research I think it may be the Confusing Bumblebee (Bombus perplexus) which shares an almost identical colour pattern with B. vagans. The confusing bumblebee is a specialist pollinator of raspberry (Rubus sp.) which this bee was found on, while the half-black bumblebee is not known to target that plant. Is this single behavioral difference enough to identify?

June 2021.