Bumblebee
“In every flower, a story. In every pollinator, a connection.”
Read the full field notes
Pollinator spotlight
The gentle giant that vibrates flowers into life
A bumblebee is a bee of the genus Bombus. About 260–265 species live across the Northern Hemisphere and South America — most in cool, temperate and alpine habitats. They are large, dense-haired, and unusually intelligent foragers whose buzz pollination unlocks pollen no other bee can reach.
Species
~265
worldwide in genus Bombus
Colony
1 year
annual — new queens overwinter
Workers
dozens–100s
per mature nest
Wingbeat
~200 Hz
the classic buzz
Flies at
5 °C+
warms its own thorax
At risk
1 in 4
of North American species
Anatomy
How Bumblebee is built
Head
Compound eyes, 3 ocelli, antennae, mandibles and a nectar-drinking proboscis.
Thorax
Powerhouse of flight muscles — powers wings, heat and buzz pollination.
Abdomen
Digestion, breathing, reproduction — and a stinger on females only.
Branched hairs
Catch loose pollen electrostatically as she brushes past anthers.
Corbicula
Concave pollen basket on each hind leg for carrying pollen home.
Tongue (glossa)
Short, medium or long depending on species — matches specific flower shapes.
Superpowers
What makes it exceptional
Buzz Pollination
Grips a flower, disengages her wings and vibrates her thorax to shake pollen out of tube-shaped anthers — how tomatoes, blueberries and cranberries get pollinated.
Cold-Weather Flight
Shivers flight muscles to warm the thorax; forages in cool, cloudy, low-light conditions when honeybees stay home.
Pollen Baskets
Packs moist pollen onto her hind tibiae — bright yellow or orange loads visible in flight.
Flower Learning
Remembers rewarding flower shapes, colours and scents; some species can even learn from watching each other.
Lifecycle
Stages of life
- 1
Overwintering Queen
Autumn → SpringA single mated queen hibernates alone in a sheltered spot; the rest of her old colony is already gone.
- 2
Nest Founding
Early SpringShe emerges, feeds on early flowers, finds a cavity, builds wax cells and lays her first eggs — doing every job herself.
- 3
First Workers
Weeks laterLarvae are fed pollen + nectar; adults emerge and take over foraging, nest care and defense.
- 4
Colony Growth
SummerThe queen focuses on laying eggs. Workers can number in the dozens or hundreds depending on species.
- 5
Reproductives
Late SummerThe colony rears new queens and males. They leave, mate, and only the young queens survive the coming winter.
Why it matters
Ecological & agricultural impact
Wild Plants
Pollinates wildflowers, shrubs and trees that feed and shelter countless other species.
Food Crops
Critical for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, blueberries, cranberries, squash, apples and many more.
Wildlife Food Web
Pollinated plants become the berries, seeds and fruit that birds and mammals depend on.
Ecosystem Resilience
Diverse pollinators keep ecosystems stable when climate or weather stresses hit.
Threats
What's putting them at risk
- 🏗️
Habitat Loss
Development and intensive farming remove nesting cavities, flowers and overwintering sites.
- 💐
Fewer Flowers
Colonies need continuous bloom from spring to autumn — short flushes aren't enough.
- 🧪
Pesticides
Insecticides can kill bees or impair flight, foraging, learning and reproduction.
- 🦠
Pathogens & Parasites
Viruses, fungi and mites — sometimes spread via commercially transported colonies.
- 🔥
Climate Change
Heat, drought and shifted bloom timing disconnect bees from the flowers they rely on.
How to help
Small actions, big impact
- 🌸
Plant Native Flowers
Choose locally native plants with overlapping blooms from early spring to late fall.
- 🚫
Skip Pesticides
Especially on blooming plants and nesting areas — use integrated pest management first.
- 🍂
Leave Wild Corners
Undisturbed grass, leaf litter and hedgerows provide nest and hibernation sites.
- 🏫
Teach & Observe
Turn schoolyards into learning gardens — count bees, log species, protect nests.
"Bumblebees rarely choose to sting humans; they prefer to fly away."
Field Guide
No. 01
Bumblebee
Bombus spp.
Species Details
Bumblebees are large, hairy bees in the genus Bombus (family Apidae) with roughly 260–265 species across the Northern Hemisphere and South America. Their branched hairs, pollen baskets and vibrating flight muscles make them among the most effective pollinators on Earth.
Pollination Traits
Genus: Bombus · Family: Apidae · Species: ~260–265
Favorite Flowers
Nectar for energy, pollen for protein — gathered from a huge diversity of wildflowers and crops.
Range
Temperate meadows, alpine slopes, boreal forests and even the Arctic. Nests in soil cavities, grass tussocks, abandoned rodent burrows or compost piles.
Ecological Role
Bumblebees can warm their own bodies by 'shivering' flight muscles — they fly in cool, cloudy, low-light conditions when other bees can't.
More Field Notes
- Buzz pollination: a bumblebee grips a flower and vibrates its thorax to shake pollen out of tomato, blueberry and cranberry blossoms.
- Only newly mated queens survive winter — the entire rest of the colony dies each autumn.
Flower Fit
Temperate meadows, alpine slopes, boreal forests and even the Arctic.