Bumblebee
Bumble bee (Bombus sp)
Image: Unknow Artist / CC0 Public Domain
More about Bumblebees
There are around 250 species of bumblebees worldwide. Most species are social and live in underground hives, but a few species parasitize other bees. They fly with a loud buzzing sound and they often engage in "buzz pollination" where they vibrate flowers to shake out the pollen. Some bumblebees have declined dramatically due to loss of habitat. They are effective and important pollinators.
Larger and plumper than honey bees and most other bees
Image: Esin Üstün / CC BY 2.0
Shaggy hair covering both the thorax and abdomen
Image: S. Rae / CC BY 2.0
Many species are mostly black with yellow patches but others have white, orange, brown, and red hairs
Image: Vera Buhl / CC-BY-SA-3.0
Bumblebees often fly slowly and can appear somewhat clumsy
They carry balls of pollen on flattened hind legs
Image: Tony Wills / CC BY-SA 3.0
