Bumblebee

Natural Habitat

Bumblebees are found in diverse habitats including forests, grasslands, urban gardens, and agricultural areas, essentially anywhere there are flowering plants for forage and suitable nesting sites. They are common in temperate regions.

Diet & Feeding

Bumblebees primarily feed on nectar for carbohydrates (energy) and pollen for protein, fats, and other nutrients. They are generalist pollinators, visiting a wide variety of flowering plants.

Behavior Patterns

Bumblebees are social insects, living in colonies that can range from a few dozen to several hundred individuals. Queens emerge in spring, establish new nests (often underground in abandoned rodent burrows or dense grass), and lay eggs. Workers forage for nectar and pollen to feed the colony throughout the summer. As cooler weather approaches, new queens and males are produced, and after mating, the old queen and colony die off, with new queens overwintering.

Risks & Benefits

Potential Risks: Bumblebees can sting if they feel threatened or their nest is disturbed, though their sting is generally less aggressive than that of a honey bee and they can sting multiple times without dying. Allergic reactions to stings are possible for sensitive individuals. Potential Benefits: Bumblebees are crucial pollinators for a vast range of wildflowers and cultivated crops, including tomatoes, peppers, blueberries, and cranberries, contributing significantly to biodiversity and food production. Their ability to perform 'buzz pollination' (sonication) makes them particularly effective pollinators for certain plants.

Identified on: 9/1/2025