The common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) is one of the most frequently spotted bees in backyards and gardens across North America. These large, fuzzy bees have distinctive black and yellow banding that makes them easily recognizable.
Description
The common eastern bumblebee has a robust, round body covered in dense black hairs. The thorax is mostly black but may have some yellow hairs mixed in. The abdomen has a single thick band of bright yellow or orange-yellow hairs. This band goes all the way around the waist between the thorax and abdomen.
Males and females look similar except females tend to be bigger. Female workers are around 0.5 inches to 0.7 inches long while males only reach about 0.4 inches to 0.6 inches. Queens are the largest at 0.6 inches to 0.9 inches.
The head, legs, and underside of the abdomen are covered in black hairs The wings are transparent with black veins. The eyes are large and hairless
Behavior
These bees fly loudly, beating their wings up to 180 times per second, which creates their characteristic buzz They can hover and fly backwards.
Common eastern bumblebees live in small colonies usually containing a few dozen to a few hundred individuals. The colonies die out by late fall except for the fertilized queens which hibernate over winter.
The queens emerge in early spring to start new nests. Nests are often made underground in abandoned rodent burrows or cavities. Bumblebees do not excavate nests themselves.
Workers collect pollen and nectar to feed the larvae. They carry pollen mixed with nectar in corbiculae (pollen baskets) on their hind legs.
These bees can sting but are not aggressive. Females will only sting to defend the nest if provoked. Male bumblebees cannot sting at all.
Habitat
Common eastern bumblebees are native to eastern North America but have expanded their range and are now found coast to coast. They thrive in many different habitats including meadows, prairies, gardens, urban parks, and agricultural areas.
These adaptable bees forage on a wide variety of flowering plants. Some favorites include lupines, clovers, foxgloves, goldenrod, rhododendrons, and milkweed. They are important pollinators of tomatoes and other nightshade crops.
Identification Tips
- Large and very fuzzy all over
- Loud buzzing flight
- Single yellow band around the abdomen
- Rest of body mostly black
- Yellow hairs may be present on the thorax
- Females tend to be bigger than males
The common eastern bumblebee is one of the most beneficial bees to have around the garden. Their size, loud buzzing, and ability to sting makes them seem aggressive but they will ignore humans as long as their nest is not disturbed. Having a few bumblebee nests on property helps ensure good pollination.
Why do bees have yellow and black stripes?
FAQ
What kind of bee is black with one yellow stripe?
Do the fuzzy black and yellow bees sting?
Do carpenter bees sting you?
Should I worry about carpenter bees?
What color is a striped bee?
The yellow and brown bee also has tufts of yellow hairs on its head, thorax, tail, and furry yellow or orange legs. This dark black or brown-black bee lacks the metallic patterns some furrow bees have. This dark striped bee measures 0.27” to 0.43” (7 – 11 mm) long.
What color is a bumble bee?
They are solitary creatures that fit into their natural surroundings with a mixture of black and yellow facial and body hair. Native to North America, the Red-Belted Bumble Bee (Bombus rufocinctus) has an abdomen banded in red, black, and yellow and a thorax that is black and yellow.
What type of fuzzy black bee is buzzing around you?
If you are still confused as to which type of fuzzy black bee is buzzing around you, try to see if you can follow it to its home. A black carpenter bee will most likely nest within the wood of your home while a bumble bee will go underground.
What do Africanized honey bees look like?
The Africanized honey bee is a hybrid bee with a shiny black abdomen and vibrantly colored yellow bands traversing it. Identifying characteristics of this yellow and black bee include aggressive defensive behavior, flying in large swarms, and they tend to live in the ground. The non-native honey bees measure 0.74” (19 mm) long.
What is a yellow-faced bee?
These bees belong to the family Colletidae. There are more than 130 species of Hylaeus bees in the United States. Yellow-faced bees are said to resemble small black wasps. They have white or yellow markings on their legs, faces, and thorax regions, and have very slender bodies.
What does a yellow banded bumble bee look like?
They are easily recognized by their hairless black abdomen and yellow, hairy thorax, and they are essential to pollination. In spring, colonies of Yellow-Banded Bumble Bees (Bombus terricola) are established underground under the direction of a queen.