![]() ![]() The Franklin’s Bumblebee is even listed as critically endangered, and two species of bumble bees in the UK have gone extinct since the beginning of the 21st Century. In North America, many species of bumble bees are in decline. The number of bumble bees is declining, and that’s a problem. It’s due to the fact that the violet and blue flowers are often the most nectar-rich (and therefore, the most beneficial to them). Their preference isn’t due to how the flower looks, though. They’ll often fly to a flower that’s either of those colors over one that’s any other color. When it comes to flowers, bumble bees have two favorite colors – blue and violet. Bumble bees are picky about the flowers they collect nectar from. They can see UV light but can’t see the color red!ġ0. Three of their eyes are smaller and located on the top of their head, and the other two are on the front of their head. However, their heart does pulse blood through a long tube, which serves as a sort of circulatory system for the bumble bee. Instead, all of their organs sit in a pool of blood inside their body. ![]() Bumble bees don’t have arteries or veins. Since bumble bees can flap their wings 200 times per second, they are able to use their wings as fans to reduce the heat inside their nests. Bumble bees use their wings to cool down their nests. Stay out of their way, and you’ll be safe. In fact, since their stinger has no barb, they can sting you several times in a row if you aren’t careful!įortunately, as mentioned earlier, it’s unlikely that a bumble bee will sting you unless you threaten the bee or its nest. Unlike honey bees, bumble bees don’t die after they sting. If you have a sever reaction to a bee sting, you should call an ambulance immediately. Other reactions are more severe and can cause heart palpitations and fainting. Some of these reactions are minor and cause itching and redness. Some people have allergic reactions to bee stings.Ībout 1% of the general population experiences an allergic reaction when stung by a bumble bee. Since that’s often a defensive position, you may be stung if you bother it. Tip: Don’t touch a bumble bee that is lying on its back. Once the stinger has been removed from your skin, you can use a cold compress or take a painkiller to ease the pain and minimize swelling. Don’t try to grab the sting – doing so could result in more venom being squeezed into your skin. If you do get stung by a bumble bee and the stinger is left in your skin, you should quickly use a fingernail or the edge of a credit card to scrape out the bee sting from your skin. Once the bee realizes that you aren’t a flower, it should fly away from you. ![]() Just stand still for a moment and then slowly move away from the bee. So, if you happen to see a bumble bee nearby, don’t panic. Unless you threaten a bumble bee or its nesting site directly, it’ll likely keep to itself and avoid causing you any bodily harm. That’s because male bumble bees don’t have a stinger, and the bumble bees that do have one aren’t aggressive. It’s unlikely that you’ll be stung by a bumble bee. In fact, their metabolism is so fast that they’re always only about 40 minutes from starving – even on a full stomach! That’s why they have to eat so much. These bees, called Bombus Dahlbomi, look furry, and they’re so big that they are sometimes likened to “flying mice.” While this may be a big of an exaggeration since the queen bee is only 40mm long, they’re still much larger than most other types of bumble bees.įortunately, you don’t have to worry about seeing these bees in Maryland (or anywhere else in the United States) because they live in South American temperate forests. The world’s largest bumble bee lives in South America. You’ll also want to listen for the distinctive buzzing sound they make when flying. So if you’re trying to identify a bumble bee, look for those colors and a fuzzy appearance. They can also be orange with white stripes. Bumble bees aren’t just black and yellow. By the time you’re done reading this blog post, you may not feel quite as negative toward bumble bees anymore – even if they do disrupt your picnics! 11 Things You Might Not Know About Bumble Bees 1. The smell of food attracts them like crazy, and before you know it, they’re crawling around near your plate.īut there are several things you may not know about bumble bees that could give you a whole new perspective on the tiny buzzing creatures. You probably already know from experience that bees can be a nuisance when you’re trying to enjoy a meal outside. ![]()
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