Diet and foraging behavior : Similar to the honey bee, a bumble bee harvests nectar and pollen from a variety of flowering plants.Region: Found throughout the northern hemisphere and South America.Color: Large and fuzzy with black and yellow coloration, although some species contain orange or red.You can find the Eastern Bumble Bee in many rural and urban habitats, from the cold of Canada and Minnesota to subtropical Florida. The Eastern Bumble Bee visits a wide range of wild flowers and garden plants, but is typically seen on goldenrod in late summer and fall. Worker bees closely resemble the queen but are smaller, and the male has some golden hairs on his face but is otherwise like the other castes. Common Eastern Bumble Bee : This is a black-brown bee with golden fur on the thorax and black hairs on the head, abdomen, and legs.You’ll likely see this pollinator in open woodland, grassland, town parks, urban gardens, and roadside verges. The Tree Bumble Bee is common through much of central Europe and Asia and has spread widely since 1990, reaching England in 2001 and Iceland in 2008. This short-tongued species typically visits plants such as rhododendrons, grape hyacinths, fruit trees and soft fruit. The male may have some yellow hair on his face. Tree Bumble Bee : The male, queen, and worker Tree Bumble Bee all have a ginger-brown furry body with a black head and a white tip to the tail.This bee is fairly common in a wide range of habitats (gardens, farmland, grassland, and woodland), but seldom found in marshy or upland moorland sites. This long-tongued pollinator prefers a diet of red clover, foxglove, honeysuckle, and many other plants. This bee is distinguishable from similar species by its long, narrow face. Male, queen, and worker all share this coloration, although the male has a yellow head (only rarely are all-black bees found). Garden Bumble Bee : This is a black bumble bee with three lemon-yellow stripes (two on the thorax, one on the abdomen) and a white tail.Similar to the honey bee and the carpenter bee, bumble bees are vital pollinators that make a substantial contribution to the food that we eat - as well as our overall global economy.īumble bees are very fuzzy - more fuzzy than carpenter or honey bees!Īs mentioned above, there are about 250 species of bumble bees, but some of the notable types of bumble bees include the Garden Bumble Bee, Tree Bumble Bee, and the Eastern Bumble Bee. Bumble bees are large and furry, and are capable of flying in cool temperatures. With about 250 species of bumble bees present worldwide, most bumble bees live in temperate conditions, although a few can be found in tropical locations. Bumble Bee Control, Prevention, and Removalīumble bees are all members of the Apidae family and are social bees found throughout the northern hemisphere and South America.Bumble Bee vs Carpenter Bee: How to Identify a Bumble Bee.Watch your property for round holes in compacted, north-facing soil – a common sign that bumble bees have moved in to stay. Avoid growing double-flowered varieties of ornamental plants as these limit the bees' ability to collect pollen and nectar. Fall blooming sedums, asters and other wild flowers will help support strong populations late in the season. In the garden, blue-blooming borage and comfrey are bumble bee magnets. Grow flowers to provide a long season of bloom, from spring through fall. Habitat loss has led to huge declines in bumble bee populations in recent years. Many bumble bee species overwinter as adults, in snug holes dug 4 inches (10cm) or more into the ground. Seldom-disturbed hillsides covered with grass or stone are preferred sites for nesting and overwintering. Most bumble bees nest in the ground, many in small colonies and others as solitary bees. Food and Habitat:īumble bees need large amounts of pollen and nectar, and species vary in the length of their tongues, which affects their ability to feed from various flowers. Instead of entering the blossom, bumble bees vibrate it to shake out a pollen reward. Vegetables with self-fertile flowers including beans, peas, peppers and tomatoes benefit from sonication, or buzz pollination, by bumble bees. Somewhat clumsy because of their size, bumble bees may collide with you in the garden, but they do not sting unless squashed. Worldwide in temperate climates Description:īig, buzzy bees with black and yellow fur coats are bumble bees.
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