Two-spotted Bumble Bee
Bombus bimaculatus
This species is famous for 'buzz pollination' (sonication), where it vibrates its flight muscles to release tightly held pollen from flowers.
- Scientific name
- Bombus bimaculatus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hymenoptera › Apidae › Bombus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Temperate forest edges, meadows, urban gardens, and agricultural fields.
- Diet
- Nectar and pollen from a diverse range of flowering plants, including clover, vetches, and fruit blossoms.
- Range
- Eastern United States, Southeastern Canada
- Size
- Queens: 19-21 mm; Workers: 11-16 mm; Males: 13-14 mm.
- Lifespan
- Queens live up to 1 year; workers and males live only 2 to 6 weeks.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Pesticide exposure, habitat fragmentation, climate change, and pathogens spread by commercial hives.
- Safe to approach?
- Generally harmless and non-aggressive unless their nest is threatened. Only females can sting, and they can do so repeatedly. Maintain a respectful distance of a few feet. If stung, wash the area with soap and water, apply ice to reduce swelling, and seek immediate medical attention if signs of an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, hives) occur.
The two-spotted bumble bee ( Bombus bimaculatus ) is a species of social bumble bee found in the eastern half of the United States and the adjacent south-eastern part of Canada. In older literature this bee is often referred to as Bremus bimaculatus , Bremus being a synonym for Bombus . The bee's common name comes from the two yellow spots on its abdomen. Unlike many of the other species of bee in the genus Bombus, B. bimaculatus is not...
Photo: Matt Pelikan, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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