Bumble Bee

Bombus species

Appearance

• Entire body has bands of black and yellow/orange hairs.

Lifecycle

• Bumble bees form colonies which contain numbers of between 50 to 150.
• They have a yearly cycle except in tropical countries where a supply of flowers all year round provides constant food.
• The Queen will find a nest and build a wax honey pot, lay eggs and store regurgitated nectar (honey).
• As the weather gets warmer she will construct more honey pots and lay more eggs, often while the previous batch are still in the larval stage.
• Workers are usually produced first, Queens at a later stage.
• The colony will die away in late Summer when the weather cools.
• At this point new Queens have to find places to hibernate for the Winter.
• Queens re-emerge in Spring.

Habits

• They prefer flower-rich habitats in open areas or gardens where they can feed on nectar and gather pollen.
• Nests are found is dry areas, generally made in deserted nests, unkept hedges or under tree roots.
• Females can sting and can do so more than once. Males cannot sting.
• The hairs on the body help to keep them warm. They can maintain a temperature up to 38 oC.