Bumble Bees
Bombus spp.
Bumble bees (Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org)
Bumble bee (David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org)
Bumble bee nest (Panoramedia, Wikimedia Commons)
Identification
- 1/4 - 1 inch long; stout
- fuzzy/hairy in appearance
- black and yellow, some with white and orange markings
Nesting Habits
- social
- colony dies off every fall; fertilized queens overwinter, usually underground
- nest in old rodent burrows, holes, grass clumps, etc.
- queens start new every spring; colonies grow throughout the summer months
Diet
- nectar, honey, pollen
Significance
- nests pose a minimal health risk to humans
- can sting multiple times; sting is painful
- bumble bees are important pollinators
IPM Recommendations
- Monitor for bumble bee nests early summer - fall.
- Purchase and use a bee veil, suit and gloves.
- Minimize nesting habitat around property by caving in old rodent burrows and sealing exterior cracks and crevices, holes in trees, wall voids, removal of grass clumps, etc.
- Never plug entrance holes to nests (if in a structural void)!
- Apply a non-repellent insecticidal dust in and 6 inches around entrance hole(s) at night.
- Because of honey pots in the nest, nests should be removed and voids filled or sealed to prevent reinfestation or the presence of other pests.