# Half-black Bumble Bee

*Bombus vagans*

This species is an excellent 'buzz pollinator', vibrating its flight muscles at a specific frequency to release tightly held pollen from flowers.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hymenoptera › Apidae › Bombus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Open temperate forests, forest edges, wetlands, grasslands, and urban gardens.
- **Diet:** Nectar and pollen from diverse floral sources, including asters, clovers, and goldenrods.
- **Range:** Eastern United States, Northern United States, Southern Canada
- **Size:** Queens: 14-18 mm, Workers: 9-13 mm, Males: 11-14 mm
- **Lifespan:** Queens live up to 1 year; workers live for 2 to 6 weeks.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation, agricultural pesticide exposure, climate change, and diseases transmitted by managed bees.
- **Safe to approach?:** This bee is docile and harmless unless stepped on, squeezed, or near its nest. Keep a respectful distance of 1-2 feet to observe safely. If stung, wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold compress. Monitor for signs of severe allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, swelling) and seek immediate medical help if they occur.

## About

The half-black bumblebee ( Bombus vagans ) is a small bumblebee with a wide distribution in North America, its range extending from Ontario and Nova Scotia southward to Georgia.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/887cc532-c8ff-465b-8062-f79ce6211053
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/128670
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombus vagans
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/8873667/medium.jpeg (psweet, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.