I probably should have posted this sooner. I sighted a big B.B. in our yard on April 6. I was very happy to see one that early. It must have been very hungry having hibernated all winter, and with so little food about, I don't know how it could fill up with so little for it to eat this early in the season. I did not try to pet it like I did one male last year. This early they are all females which do have the ability to cause some pain, though they do not defend territory or their food source if handled would likely react in defense.
The VT F&W advises that between 60 to 80 percent of wild plants in our state are dependent on animals, mostly bees, for the 'ecosystem service' of pollination. Whole communities of flowering trees, shrubs, and herbs benefit from their activities—including blueberries, blackberries, and apples.
So I was very excited to have my first observation this season of a B.B., specifically, a Bombus Ternarius commonly known as Tricolored Bumble Bee. Did you know that their colony only lasts one season? Other than the queens, the whole colony dies out in the late summer or early fall. Colonies are generally 50 individuals or fewer. All the males and the old queen die before winter.
Then in spring, the new queen comes out from under the leaves (if folks were kind enough to leave some on the ground) or under a few inches of soil. She is as hungry as a bear, searching for willows and other early sources of nectar. A little later on she will seek pollen and nectar into wax pots for the larvae. She lays eggs and incubates them similar to how birds do for their eggs, and this will create an all-female brood (workers, all sisters) who then work to obtain food for the brood. Only later in the season does she lay unfertilized eggs to produce males and she lays fertilized eggs to make the new season's fertile queens.
At about the same time as the queen starts laying unfertilized eggs that will produce males, the ovaries of some workers, usually, those performing household duties, may develop. It is possible for workers (without mating) to lay unfertilized eggs that will develop into males, however, workers cannot produce queens or other workers. Some workers try to lay eggs of their own, and may even attempt to eat eggs laid by the queen (eating their own sisters). This leads to aggression between worker and worker, and worker and queen. In many cases, the more persistent workers will succeed in laying some eggs that will reach maturity. The queen will also attempt to eat worker-laid eggs (her own grandsons) and head butts and bites her daughters to try to maintain her dominance.
Males do not have the ability to sting while females can sting, they only do so in defense. If disturbed say on a flower, their typical behavior is to fly away rather than sting. By the way, I have not found any evidence of a person anywhere having an allergic reaction to a native wild bee sting (Wasps are not bees. Most if not all honeybees are not wild. Honeybees are not native to the U.S.).
Historically Vermont has been home to 16 Bumble Bee species. Though some are now rare if here at all. The Rusty patched Bumble bee has not been reported in Vermont since about 1999, and the American Bumble bee since 2000.
Bumble Bees perform a unique service, "buzz pollination" (vibrating flowers until they release pollen), that helps plants produce more fruit. They are especially good pollinators of tomatoes and other food crops. The insects' size also allows them to generate heat, so bumble bees can fly earlier and later in the day, as well as to cooler, higher altitudes, then can honey bees. A queen may have to visit as many as 6,000 flowers per day in order to get enough nectar to maintain the heat needed to brood her eggs!
Smarter than your average bear? Bumble Bees have been taught to push a ball into a goal in order to receive a sugary treat reward.
Bumble bees face many threats, including habitat loss, pesticides, introduced diseases, climate change, and competition from honey bees.
Contact me if you would like to learn more and see more photos of Bumble bees of Vermont. I have created programs for many of our insect friends, one of which is on Bumble bees. I present the programs on demand.
Watch for these gorgeous creatures in your backyard. We benefit from more than perhaps we realize or give them credit for. They live a complex life cycle, have intriguing talents, and are a joy to observe.
View photos of this beautiful BB mama at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110581033.
Connecting Community with Nature
Bernie
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