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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. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini , though a few extinct related genera (e.g., Calyptapis ) are known from fossils .
Queen bumblebees will first undergo a solitary phase where they take care of the first-generation brood, after this phase there is a cooperative eusocial phase where this division of labor begins. [8] Most bumblebee species only have one queen per colony and this queen is often monandrous, meaning she will only mate once. [8]
Bombus ternarius, commonly known as the orange-belted bumblebee or tricolored bumblebee, [2] is a yellow, orange and black bumblebee. It is a ground-nesting social insect whose colony cycle lasts only one season, common throughout the northeastern United States and much of Canada . [ 3 ]
Bombus transversalis is a bumblebee specifically native to the Amazon Basin. [2] [3] [4] It is most notable for its surface-level colonies which are built by the workers on the rainforest floor. Unlike its relatives, B. transversalis is able to thrive in a humid climate and fend off a wide range of predators because of its resilient nests.
Nuptial flight is an important phase in the reproduction of most ant, termite, and some bee species. [1] It is also observed in some fly species, such as Rhamphomyia longicauda . During the flight, virgin queens mate with males and then land to start a new colony, or, in the case of honey bees , continue the succession of an existing hived colony.
Bombus terrestris, the buff-tailed bumblebee or large earth bumblebee, is one of the most numerous bumblebee species in Europe. It is one of the main species used in greenhouse pollination , and so can be found in many countries and areas where it is not native, such as Tasmania . [ 2 ]
A bumblebee carrying pollen in its pollen baskets (corbiculae) Many bumblebees are eusocial, similar to the eusocial Vespidae such as hornets in that the queen initiates a nest on her own rather than by swarming. Bumblebee colonies typically have from 50 to 200 bees at peak population, which occurs in mid to late summer.
Bombus occidentalis, the western bumble bee, is one of around 30 bumble bee species present in the western United States and western Canada. [1] A recent review of all of its close relatives worldwide appears to have confirmed its status as a separate species.