Apidae

Bumble bees are large, sturdy, fuzzy bees, about 2 cm long. Their bodies are often black and yellow, sometimes with orange, red, or white markings. There are more than 250 bumble bee species worldwide, including about 50 in North America.

In Quebec, more than 20 bumble bee species are found, including the common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) and the rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis).

Pollination

Bumble bees are essential pollinators that help maintain plant diversity. In Quebec, they pollinate many cultivated crops, including tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.

Bumble bees are such effective pollinators thanks to a few key physical adaptations:

• Setae, the tiny “hairs” that cover an insect’s body, which catch pollen as the bee moves from flower to flower.
• Pollen combs, structures on the hind legs used to brush pollen off the body.
• Pollen baskets (corbiculae), also on the hind legs, which pack and carry pollen back to the nest.

Bumble bees also use a special technique called buzz pollination to release pollen from flowers where it is harder to access, such as tomatoes and eggplants. The bee grips the flower and rapidly vibrates its flight muscles, shaking pollen loose.

Each bumble bee refines this technique over time. Older workers develop a wider range of vibrations, allowing them to pollinate more kinds of flowers.

Geographic range and habitat

Bumble bees’ large size and abundant setae help them thrive in colder environments across North America, Europe, and Asia. A smaller number of species also occur in tropical regions of South America and Southeast Asia.

Bumble bees are found in forests, mountain regions, peatlands, fields, and other places where nectar-producing plants bloom.