The Gentle Bumble Bee
by Ruth Tan
The bumble bee has always been perceived as a friendly bug and has even become one of the most favourite icon in kids' drawings. As its original name "humble bee" implies, the bumble bees is gentle and slow, much less aggressive than its relative -- honey bees, has thin wings, two big eyes and three small eyes, and bumbles around with a lazy buzz. Mostly black and yellow striped and about the size of a jelly bean, these bees are robust-looking, round and hairy unlike the wasp shaped honey bees. Most people cannot tell the difference between the bumble bee and carpenter bee when they spot round bees buzzing around their home. Bumble bees have a fuzzy abdomen, whereas carpenter bees has a shiny abdomen. The former rarely are a nuisance or pose a threat when in close proximity to humans as they will usually go out of their way to avoid human contact. Most of the time they will flee away from danger but will sting to defend themselves if they sense they are cornered and cannot escape, and under great duress. Unlike many other stingling insects including the honey bees, bumble bees do not lose their sting and die after stinging.
Bumblebees are typically found in higher latitudes that range from warm to cold climates due to their special ability to regulate their body temperature. Like the honey bee, they are considered very important pollinators of flowers of many plant species and they live in a colony. There are over 200 types of bumblebees in the world, with each specie having its own preference to types of nectar and prefering different flowers. They gather pollen to feed its young, and search for places to start new colonies. Their colony grows larger over the summer and is commonly found in the garden. The worker bees collect pollen and nectar from the flowers and help defend the colony. They then emerge about 21 days after the queen bee lays her eggs.
While they are normally found in flowering plants and don't make holes or tunnels in wood, they will nest under piles of grass clippings or leaves, stones, and logs. A queen bumblebee makes a new nest each year. Their nests are small compared to those of honey bees, with each containing only a few hundred individuals.
Bumble bees have very few predators, of which skunks are their largest and most destructive predator. To help themselves to their these bees, skunks are able to tolerate the pain of multiple bee stings.
Source: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/bumble-bee.html
About the Author: Ruth Tan runs the popular website Benefits of Honey at http://www.benefits-of-honey.com which is an immensely rich, quality resource on honey and its benefits, and a plethora of health-related issues. To discover how incredibly intelligent natural honey is, and why this super-food must be differentiated from all other forms of sugar or sweetener, visit this Honey Resource.
|
Bumblebees -- About Bumblebees
by Jessica Hannah
Rounder and larger than other bees, there are over 250 species of bumblebees worldwide. Its distinctive coat is thick and furry allowing it to operate in cooler weather. This ability to fly in the cold normally means it is the first bee to be seen as winter ends and spring emerges.
Bumblebees live in tiny colonies containing 50 to 400 members along with the queen who produces all the female worker bees.
The only survivor of the winter months is the queen who stays alive by taking refuge in undergrowth and thick planted areas. With the winter behind her this hardy bee emerges and begins looking for an appropriate nesting site in which she can lay her eggs and develop her very own new colony.
In order to protect the colony from the elements and attack the queen normally builds it underground taking advantage of old vole nest holes or natural cracks in the earth and even broken paving. Once established she will also create perfectly formed sterile wax cells designed specifically to accommodate her next generation of female workers.
As this population grows these same workers go out and collect the nectar and pollen required to sustain the colony. Towards the end of summer the colony raises up the virgin queens and males required to create future generations. Both of these leave the nest in order to find mates. Once the male has successfully mated it then dies, where as the fertilised female queen seeks out somewhere to hibernate and thus the cycle begins again.
Jessica Hannah writes widely about lifestyle, health and home topics. For more information please visit http://www.EveryDayFamilyProducts.com
Bumble Bees (Insects)
From ants and beetles, to wasps and water bugs, amazing up-close photographs explore the fascinating world of insects. Readers learn about the body parts and daily activities of common insects.
Click Here To Order Book
|