bumblebee - Importance, Life, Sting, Bumblebee myths, Species, Associated Parasites, Reference

A large bee found mainly in the temperate N hemisphere. The adults transport pollen on the modified outer surface of the hindleg. They are organized into primitive societies, in which only the queen overwinters to produce the next generation of workers. (Family: Apidae. Genus: Bombus.)

iBombus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Family: Apidae Subfamily: Apinae Tribe: Bombini Genus: Bombus Latreille, 1802
Species
more than 250 species and subspecies in 37 subgenera

The bumblebee (also spelled bumble bee, also known as humblebee) is a flying insect of the genus Bombus in the family Apidae.

Importance

Bumblebees are important pollinators of both crops and wildflowers.

Agricultural Use

Bumblebees are increasingly cultured for agricultural use as pollinators because they can pollinate plant species that other pollinators cannot by using a technique known as buzz pollination. For example, bumblebee colonies are often emplaced in greenhouse tomato production, because the frequency of buzzing that a bumblebee exhibits effectively pollinate tomatoes.

Endangered Species

Bumblebees are in danger in many developed countries due to habitat destruction and collateral pesticide damage. In Britain, until relatively recently, 19 species of native true bumblebee were recognised along with six species of cuckoo bumblebees (bumblebees that trick other species into looking after their young).

Life

Habitat

Bumblebees are typically found in higher latitudes that range from warm to cold climates where other bees might not be found.

Nests

Bumblebees form colonies, much like honeybees. Bumblebees mostly do not preserve their nests through the winter, though some tropical species live in their nests for several years (and their colonies can grow quite large, depending on the size of the nest cavity). The last generation of summer includes a number of queens who overwinter separately in protected spots.1

Food

Unlike honeybees, bumblebees only store a few days' worth of food and so are much more vulnerable to food shortages.

Sting

Queen and worker bumblebees sting, but only do so in self-defense or if their nest is disturbed.

Bumblebee myths

Flight

According to 20th century folklore, the laws of aerodynamics prove that the bumblebee should be incapable of flight, as it does not have the capacity (in terms of wing size or beat per second) to achieve flight with the degree of wing loading necessary, and yet, not being aware of scientists proving it cannot fly, the bumblebee succeeds.

Buzz

One common, yet incorrect, assumption is that the buzzing sound of bees (as well as that of other flying insects) is caused by the beating of their wings, when in fact, less than 1% of the audible sound actually comes from them.

Species

Genus Bombus

Small Garden bumblebee, Bombus hortorum Large Garden bumblebee, Bombus ruderatus Cullum's bumblebee, Bombus cullumanus Short-haired bumblebee, Bombus subterraneus Great Yellow bumblebee, Bombus distinguendus Shrill Carder bee, Bombus sylvarum Buff-Tailed bumblebee, or Large Earth Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris Bombus affinis Bombus bimaculatus Bombus borealis Bombus griseocollis Bombus fervidus Yellow-faced bumblebee Bombus flavifrons Bombus fraternus Frisky bumblebee Bombus impatiens Bombus insularis Bombus lucorum Red-tailed bumblebee Bombus lapidarius Bombus pascuorum Bombus pensylvanicus Bombus perplexus Northern bumblebee Bombus polaris Bombus pratorum Bombus rufocinctus Orange-belted bumblebee Bombus ternarius Bombus sylvicola Bombus vagans Bombus occidentalis Bombus appositus Bombus bifarius Bombus kirbyellis Bombus fridgidus

Genus Psythirus

Psythirus citrinus Psythirus insularis Psythirus ashtoni

Associated Parasites

Tracheal mites - Locustacarus buchneri Protozoans- Crithidia bombi, Nosema bombi, Apicitis bombi

Reference

^ Harman, Alan.