Did you know there are many different species of bumble bee throughout the world? Or that they are extremely important in the environment due to their pollination skills? Read on to learn more about these and other bumble bee key facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scientific Name:<\/strong><\/td>| Bombus<\/em><\/td><\/tr> | Type of Animal:<\/strong><\/td> | Insect: Bee<\/td><\/tr> | Number of Species:<\/strong><\/td> | Over 250<\/td><\/tr> | Physical Description:<\/strong><\/td> | Large, fuzzy-looking bees, typically in various shades of black, brown, and yellow. Their bodies are rounded and covered in fur, and their wings are typically clear gray in color. Their heads are rounded and furry like the rest of their bodies, and like other insects, they have six legs. These legs contain pollen sacs which collect and distribute pollen as they travel from flower to flower.<\/td><\/tr> | Distribution:<\/strong><\/td> | Widely distributed throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa.<\/td><\/tr> | Habitat:<\/strong><\/td> | Typically found in prairies, open fields, and other grassland habitats, including urban areas.<\/td><\/tr> | Size:<\/strong><\/td> | 0.5 to 1 inch long<\/td><\/tr> | Diet:<\/strong><\/td> | – Flower nectar | – Flower pollen – Honey-like substance they make<\/td><\/tr> Lifespan:<\/strong><\/td> | – Queen: up to 1 year | – Workers: 4 to 6 weeks – Drones: up to 2 weeks<\/td><\/tr> Colony Size:<\/strong><\/td> | 50 to 400 depending on species<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n | What Are Bumble Bees?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nBumble bees are some of the world\u2019s greatest pollinators. There are hundreds of bumble bee species throughout the world, and they are responsible for pollinating many of the plants that produce up to 90 percent of global food supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bumble bees live in colonies of about 50 to 400 individuals, and they typically build their nests in the ground<\/a> or in old abandoned buildings. Most colonies consist of one queen bee, who lays all the eggs; many female worker bees, who pollinate flowers and produce small amounts of a honey-like substance; and male drone bees, who mate with the queen.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Bumble bees mostly eat nectar and pollen, but they also eat the honey-like substance they create from flower nectar. They don\u2019t produce large amounts of this substance as honey bees do<\/a>; they produce only what they need at any given time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out this video to learn more about bumble bees and one of their unique pollination tricks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n |