It is native to North America, where it is distributed across much of Canada, Alaska, and the western contiguous United States.

The nest declines at the end of August, and all the inhabitants die, except for the new queens, which hibernate in the earth.

The bumblebee feeds on several flowering plants, most commonly those in Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Saxifragaceae, and Lamiaceae.

[3] This species is host to the parasitic indiscriminate cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus insularis).

[1] This bee occurs at high altitude and latitude, living in habitat such as tundra, taiga, and mountain forests and meadows.