Bombus fervidus
Copyright, Jerry Blinn
The Golden Northern
Bumble Bee is one of many bumble bees living in our area.
They can be difficult to tell apart. The Golden Northern
Bumble Bee varies in size. Male drones grow to about 1/2
inch. Female workers grow up to 3/4 inch. A queen bee may be
almost an inch long. All of these bees are
thick and hairy. The face and head is mostly black and there
is a black band between the wings. The abdomen
(back body section) is black and yellow. Wings are
smoky. Copyright, 1990-2003
Peter Kubal Bumble
Boosters Bumble
Boosters Golden Northern Bumble
Bees live in clearings in forests, along roadsides, and in
other open areas. Adults
can be seen drinking nectar
and collecting pollen
from flowers. A young queen bee will
hibernate
over winter, waiting for Spring. When the weather warms, she
will look for an opening in soil to begin building a
nest. The queen immediately
builds brood cells (small chambers to lay eggs). The first
bees born will be female workers. These workers will help
the queen expand the nest, building more brood cells and
honeypots (places to store honey). The queen will lay more
eggs, and as the weathter gets warmer, each generation
of bees will be larger. Workers will continue to
expand the nest, collect pollen, make honey, and care for
young bees. Male bees (drones) will be born, but do little
work. Their job is to mate with young queens, born later in
the season. When cold weather
arrives, all of the bees will die except for the new queens
that have mated. Even the old queen dies. New queens will
overwinter
and start their own nests in the Spring. Copyright Erin
Kenny
