• Home
• 
• Pest Identification
• 
• Bees
• 
• Bumblebee

Subfamily Bombinae

Bumble bees exist primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. They are pollen gatherers and tend to visit the same patch of flowers each day as long as nectar and pollen continue to be available at those sources.

Bumble bees are identified by their overall 'fuzzy' appearance, including the top surface of the abdomen. Color is generally black with yellow markings, but can sometimes vary. Adult workers are usually 1/4 to 1 inch in body length, with queens about 3/4-1".

Only inseminated queens over-winter and do so underground, emerging in the spring to select an appropriate nesting site. They are social and form colonies. These colonies are usually much less extensive than those of honey bees and rarely are found within structures, but more often found in ground. Bumble bees don't make holes or tunnels in wood, but will nest in abandoned rodent burrows, under piles of grass clippings or leaves, stones, logs, etc. Occasionally, bumble bees will establish a nest above ground in a wall, firewood pile, shed, crawl space or attic. Often times, a mature nest will hold fewer than 50 individuals but can contain up to around 400. Old cocoons within the nest are used for storing food (pollen and nectar), but only enough for a few days at a time. Limited storage discourages nest predators such as skunks, foxes, etc. Development time from egg to adult is 16-25 days. Workers live approximately 2 weeks. As the number of workers increase within the colony, so does the number of eggs laid by the queen. In late summer only males (drones) and new queens are reared in the nest. Once the new queens emerge they will mate, and find a suitable area for over-wintering. Males, workers, old queen and any unmated queens will die as colder temperatures set in.

Nest temperatures are regulated by the bees themselves to about 86 degrees. This is accomplished by unhinging their wings from the power-producing thoracic muscle. These muscles continuously contract producing body heat without wing movement. This is especially helpful in low ambient temperatures because the bumble bee must warm up their body considerably to become airborne.

Bumble bees have relatively smooth stingers. Because of the smooth surface of the stinger, it does not become separated from the bee when stinging a victim; which can allow it to sting its victim repeatedly.

A call to Long Pest Control can develop an Integrated Pest Control program to eliminate the sightings and provide an environment free of unwanted pests year round.