Bombus sylvarum is widely distributed in the West-Palaearctic region. It may be quite common and in some places, it is the predominant bumblebee species. West, its range extends in the Iberian peninsula to the parallel of Madrid. It is present in England, Wales and SE. Ireland but completely absent from Scotland. North, it extends in Fennoscandia to the 63rd parallel and in Russia to the 60th parallel. East, it hardly extends beyond the southern part of the Ural Mts., to Cheliabinsk. South-east, B. sylvarum is present throughout E. Anatolia, where it is present as its steppic daghestanicus form, in the Caucasus, Georgia, Armenia and NW. Iran. In the latter country, it does not reach the Mazandaran region. In the southern part of its range, B. sylvarum is clearly a montane species. It reaches the Etna in Sicily and the Taurus and Amanaus in Anatolia. In the Balkan, its limits are more northern : the mountains in N. Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Pindos Mts., in N. Greece. It is absent from the large Mediterranean islands (except Sicily) and from N. Africa.
Bombus sylvarum can be very abundant in some locations.
P. Rasmont