![]() ![]() Larvae eat a combination of pollen, nectar, honey, and other floral oils, sometimes called bee bread. Bumble bees also eat pollen, which serves as the main source of protein in their diet. The bee takes nectar from flowers, and the sweet, sugary carbohydrate acts as fuel for the body. Flowering plants serve as the most common food source for the insect. Dietīumble bees need a relatively varied diet to survive. Ground-level hives may occur in naturally formed depressions or in abandoned rodent burrows or bird nests. ![]() The insects prefer to nest in the ground, but some may nest in the eaves of homes, holes in trees, hollow logs, and rotten stumps. Certain species can also survive in relatively colder climates and at higher elevations than most other types of bees. Habitat, Diet, and Life Cycle Habitatīumble bees mainly live in temperate climates. In order to successfully handle a bumble bee infestation, consider contacting a pest control specialist with the knowledge, experience, and equipment to remove the insects from homes and businesses safely. Bumblebees may also nest in hollow spaces on decks, patios, and even in the eaves of the home. To avoid interactions with bumblebees, home and business owners should continually get rid of all organic debris from yards and areas close to the structure. The most regularly occurring sign of a bumble bee infestation remains sighting the nest or the bee itself. Similar to other bees, the bumble bee makes an audible buzzing sound and may swarm, though typically only when defending the nest. Homeowners may notice visible wax, developmental cells, and honey stores, which sometimes appear similar in size and shape to brown or orange grapes arranged in small bunches. The insects expand the nest as the colony grows and may interfere with efforts to mow or treat the yard. Signs of an infestationīumble bees typically nest on or below the ground but may still find opportunities to come into contact with humans. Only female bumble bees have a stinger, which sits at the end of a pointed abdomen. Bumble bees, like honey bees, possess structures known as pollen baskets on the hind legs, which are used to collect pollen when foraging. The insect possesses chewing mouthparts, four wings, and 12 to 13 segmented antennae. Bumble bees have black bodies covered in numerous black, yellow, and sometimes orange hairs called setae, which normally form a banded pattern and the fuzzy appearance typical of bumble bees. They are relatively large and robust, measuring between 15 and 25 mm in length. The bumble bee differs in appearance from most bees found in Canada. ![]()
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