Here is the taxonomy of bumblebees, according to ITIS: (Image credit: Ron James ) Classification/taxonomy They dwell in ground nests and die when autumn rolls around. They generally are not inclined to sting unless their nests are disturbed, and spend their days buzzing from flower to flower as they collect pollen. After mating, the future queens fatten themselves up and hibernate throughout the winter.Ĭompared to wasps, bumblebees are quite gentle and docile. The males from other nests mate with future queens and then die. Both leave the nest as soon as they are mature. The queen is left to do nothing but lay and hatch new eggs.īees born in late summer are male bees, called drones, and future queen bees. The first batch grows into worker bees that will clean and guard the nest, find food and take care of the next batch of baby bees. The queen only takes care of the first batch of babies.
At two weeks old, the larvae spin cocoons around themselves and stay there until they develop into adult bees. When the eggs hatch, the queen feeds pollen to the baby bees, called larvae. The queen sits on the eggs for about two weeks to keep them warm. Once the nest is found, she lays her eggs and stores up food for herself and the babies, according to ADW. After waking from hibernation, the queen finds food and looks for a good location for a nest. The queen is the mother of all the bees in a colony. They feed the honey to the queen and the developing brood. They make honey by chewing the pollen and mixing it with their saliva, according to Animal Diversity Web (ADW). The sugary nectar provides the bees with energy while the pollen provides them with protein, according to The Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Dietīumblebees eat nectar and pollen made by flowers. She hibernates during the winter months underground and starts a new colony in the spring.
During the late fall, the entire colony dies, except for the queen. The other bees serve her or gather food or care for developing larvae.
Colonies can contain between 50 and 500 individuals, according to the National Wildlife Federation.Ī dominant female called the queen rules the colony. A group of bumblebees is called a colony. Habitsīumblebees are some of the most social creatures in the animal kingdom. For example, the largest bumblebee is found in Argentina and Chile and the rusty patched bumblebee is found in the United States and Canada.īumblebees usually build their nests close to the ground - under piles of wood, dead leaves and compost piles - or even below ground in abandoned rodent tunnels, according to Orkin. With so many species, it isn't surprising that bumblebees are found all over the world. (Image credit: Annette Van Oystaeyen) Habitat
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