What is the scientific name for a bumblebee?

For other uses, see Bombus (disambiguation). Natural distribution shown in red. A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus Bombus, part of Apidae, one of the bee families.

Are bumble bees harmful to humans?

Bumble bees are considered a beneficial insect because they pollinate crops and plants, however, they can sting. Dr. Parada explains proper bee sting treatment and how to remove a bee stinger. Those allergic should seek medical attention. Learn more about stinging insect threats here.

How do you identify a bumble bee?

How do you identify a bumble bee?
(You might hear the bee on the left buzzing)! We can recognise Bumble Bees from their very loud buzzing. They can be seen bobbing around flowers and are a good indication that spring is here. Bumblebees are usually a very distinctive black and yellow colour, although they can be red and black or orange and black.

Can you take a bumblebee in your hand?

You can take a bumblebee in your hand and as long as you do not treat it roughly, it will not sting you at all. However, if you see a bumblebee lying on its back, then it is best not to touch it. This position is a defensive position and they will feel threatened and prepare to sting.

What does a bumblebee look like?

Bumblebees are robust and hairy, average about 1.5 to 2.5 cm (about 0.6 to 1 inch) in length, and are usually black with broad yellow or orange bands. They often nest in the ground, commonly in deserted bird or mouse nests. Bombus species are social bees; i.e., they live in organized groups. Each nest has a queen, drones (males), and workers.

What is the difference between bumblebees and bombusses?

What is the difference between bumblebees and bombusses?
Bumblebees are robustand hairy, average about 1.5 to 2.5 cm (about 0.6 to 1 inch) in length, and are usually black with broad yellow or orange bands. They often nest in the ground, commonly in deserted bird or mouse nests. Bombusspecies are social bees; i.e., they live in organized groups. Each nest has a queen, drones (males), and workers.

Where do bumblebees live in the world?

They occur over much of the world but are most common in temperate climates. Bumblebees are robust and hairy, often black with yellow or orange stripes. They are social insects and commonly nest in the ground. Bumblebee, common name for any member of the insect tribe Bombini.

What is the chill coma temperature of a bumble bee?

Chill-coma temperature. The chill-coma temperature in relation to flying insects is the temperature at which flight muscles cannot be activated. Compared to honey bees and carpenter bees, bumblebees have the lowest chill-coma temperature. Of the bumblebees Bombus bimaculatus has the lowest at 7 °C (45 °F).

What does the brightly coloured pile of bumble bees mean?

What does the brightly coloured pile of bumble bees mean?
The brightly coloured pile of the bumblebee is an aposematic (warning) signal, given that females can inflict a painful sting. Depending on the species and morph, the warning colours range from entirely black, to bright yellow, red, orange, white, and pink. Dipteran flies in the families Syrphidae (hoverflies),…

What are the characteristics of a bumblebee?

Bumblebees have round bodies covered in soft hair (long branched setae) called 'pile', making them appear and feel fuzzy. They have aposematic (warning) coloration, often consisting of contrasting bands of colour, and different species of bumblebee in a region often resemble each other in mutually protective Müllerian mimicry.

What is the lowest temperature a bumble bee can fly?

Compared to honey bees and carpenter bees, bumblebees have the lowest chill-coma temperature. Of the bumblebees Bombus bimaculatus has the lowest at 7 °C (45 °F). However, bumblebees have been seen to fly in colder ambient temperatures.

What is the difference between a bumblebee and a honey bee?

What is the difference between a bumblebee and a honey bee?
Bumblebees have fewer stripes (or none), and usually have part of the body covered in black fur, while honeybees have many stripes including several grey stripes on the abdomen. Sizes are very variable even within species; the largest British species, B. terrestris, has queens up to 22 mm (0.9 in) long,…