General information
In their appearance and lifestyle, bumblebees are very similar to bees, but there are also unique differences.
A bumblebee differs significantly from a bee in its size: they are much larger. The body length of this insect reaches 2.5 cm, but there are much larger representatives. Males are larger than females and have small antennae on their heads. The largest are the working females; they are also equipped with a sting. The body is covered with dense hairs. Most often, the back of insects is dark in color and has lighter stripes - orange or red.
The sting of a bumblebee is painted black and has no serrations. The back of the shins are complemented by spurs. Bumblebees have powerful jaws that are capable of chewing through vegetation.
On a note. Bumblebees feed on any nectar, and the process of food consumption continues throughout the entire working day. The insects carry part of the collected nectar to the bumblebee hive to the queen.
Origin of the species and description
Photo: Shmel
This animal belongs to arthropod insects, to the family of true bees, to the genus of the same name - bumblebees. In Latin, the genus name sounds like “Bombus”. Listed in the subclass of winged insects. Bumblebees are a numerous genus of insects. Today, more than three hundred varieties of bumblebees are known, which belong to fifty subspecies.
Among the species, the two most famous are:
- Bombus lapidarius;
- Bombus terrestris.
Bumblebees are large in size, unlike most members of their family. They have a characteristic yellow-black color. This insect can only be confused with others from afar. A special feature of bumblebees is their powerful mandibles. They are intended purely for peaceful purposes. For self-defense, such animals, like other bees, use a sting.
Interesting fact: A bumblebee sting is less painful than a bee or wasp sting. This insect is peaceful and rarely bites without a reason. The animal uses its sting and powerful jaws only when there is a real threat to its life.
This insect is considered warm-blooded. With intense movement, the bumblebee's body generates heat. Their body temperature can reach forty degrees. All representatives of the bumblebee genus have a pubescent body. This allows them to easily adapt even to very harsh weather conditions. Bumblebees are useful, versatile insects. They pollinate a huge number of flowers, quickly moving from one place to another.
Description
Bumblebees belong to the class of arthropod winged insects and are a type of bee. The original name of the genus in Latin is “Bombus”. Creatures are widespread on Earth, living in all corners of the planet where there are suitable living conditions. Now zoologists know about 300 different varieties of insects, which belong to fifty subspecies.
The two most common types of bumblebees are Bombus terrestris and Bombus lapidarius. They live in most countries.
Back view of bumblebee
You can distinguish a bumblebee from other bees by its large size and rounded contours of its body. Thanks to the hairs on their body, they adapt well to cold climates and do not freeze. They are also considered warm-blooded insects. When moving quickly, their body begins to generate heat, and the internal temperature can reach forty degrees.
People have a stereotype that a bumblebee bite is very painful, and in general it is better to beware of insects. Such fears arose due to the large size of the creature and powerful jaws. However, in fact, this type of bee is the most peaceful and harmless.
Interesting fact : the sting of a bumblebee is smooth and does not have serrations, unlike a bee's. If the latter retains it in the victim, then the bumblebee, having made a bite, can pull it back into the body and fly away.
Bumblebees never attack first. They do not use their jaws as weapons, despite their power, and their only defense is their stinger. But the individual will use it if there is no other way out. Moreover, only females and insects that build a hive have it. Ordinary males do not have a sting and are almost completely defenseless. In nature, the bumblebee brings great benefits by pollinating a large number of flowers.
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Features of character and lifestyle
Photo: Bumblebee over a flower
The bumblebee is a social insect. They live their lives with their families. Each family consists of large queens, males and small worker bumblebees. Families live in fairly large nests. These animals build three types of nests:
- Underground. This type of housing is preferred by most members of the genus. The nest is established in abandoned burrows of small and medium-sized rodents. The smell of such animals is especially attractive to female bumblebees. To insulate the underground nest, the insect uses materials left over from the rodent: dry grass, wool;
- On the ground. Such nests are established in thick grass, abandoned bird nests, and moss hummocks;
- Above the ground. Some types of bumblebees settle in tree hollows, in various buildings and even in birdhouses.
The bumblebee family is not numerous. Most often, its population numbers only one hundred individuals. They have been living together for only one year. Afterwards, some of the females found new families, while the other part went to winter. The lifestyle of bumblebees is quite rich. Each family member has their own functions. Working adults do all the “dirty” work. They feed the larvae, obtain food, and protect the home. The queen lays eggs, and the males fertilize females. Having completed the main task, the males do not linger in the nests.
Bumblebees have a calm, non-aggressive character. Unlike most members of their family, these insects never attack people without reason. Only if danger exists can a bumblebee sting. However, for a person this will be almost painless.
Interesting Facts
These insects can regulate their body temperature, warming it up to 40°C, so they tolerate cold well and can start working from dawn. They are one of the most cold-resistant insects.
In hot weather, bumblebees fly out of the nest and begin to actively fan it with their wings, ventilating their home.
An insect flaps its wings up to 400 times per second! Flies at speeds up to 20 km/h. According to all the rules of aerodynamics, a bumblebee should not fly; its flight violates the laws of physics. This is one of the mysteries of nature that scientists have not yet solved.
This is a peace-loving insect that never attacks without reason, unless you show aggression towards it. If a bee dies after being stung, then its furry relative does not; it can sting many times. A bumblebee sting is painful and can be very dangerous for allergy sufferers.
It is known that bumblebees do not like strong odors - perfumes and deodorants, air fresheners, alcohol, sweat. They may attack precisely because they are disturbed by an unpleasant odor. For some reason they also react aggressively to watches, jewelry and the color blue.
This is a very useful pollinating insect, without which many plants could not reproduce.
Their honey is not used by humans, since it is liquid and begins to ferment already at a temperature of +3...+4°C.
Bumblebees have many natural enemies - foxes, badgers, voles and other rodents, ants, moths, wax moths, some types of wasps and flies, the European bee-eater, nematode worms, gamas mites, red cockroaches, and parasitic hyphomycete fungi.
Appearance and features
Photo: Bumblebee animal
Representatives of this genus are among the most cold-resistant insects. They easily tolerate light frosts. This was made possible thanks to the presence of warm fluff and strong chest muscles. The insect can raise its body temperature by rapidly contracting its muscles. Bumblebees are the first to fly out to collect nectar. They do this early in the morning, when the air has not yet warmed up to a comfortable temperature for the rest of the bee family.
Bumblebees are large insects. Their body length can reach twenty-eight millimeters. Females can boast of this size. Males grow to a maximum of twenty-four millimeters. And only certain species are capable of reaching a length of thirty-five millimeters. For example, the steppe bumblebee. The average weight of a female is 0.85 g, a male is up to 0.6 g.
Habitat and lifestyle of bumblebees
Thanks to their ability to quickly adapt to environmental conditions, bumblebees have spread throughout almost the entire planet. Exceptions are hot, arid regions with minimal vegetation, and areas with arctic climates.
In nature, bumblebees live in families, the number of which usually ranges from 50 to 150 individuals. Insects are active and hardworking. Most of a bumblebee's life is spent working. Some collect pollen and nectar, others devote more time to arranging and expanding their homes.
The behavior of bumblebees towards humans is calm, not aggressive. Insects can attack only when he is in danger.
Where does the bumblebee live?
Habitat of bumblebees
Due to their good adaptation to environmental conditions, bumblebees live in almost all corners of the planet. Exceptions are places where there is very little vegetation, as well as in hot climates. At high temperatures, the insect begins to feel uncomfortable due to the fact that its body already generates a lot of heat during activities.
In some places the number of bumblebees is small. For example, the Arctic Circle is home to small populations of individual species adapted to cold climates and capable of pollinating local vegetation. In Greenland, Alaska and Chukotka they can only be found in alpine meadows. Small populations also occur in lands with a tropical climate.
Interesting fact : in some countries, gardeners specially breed garden bumblebees to increase productivity.
Most species of bumblebees live in Russia, Europe, Asia and America. They enjoy the local climate and abundant vegetation. Not so long ago, insects were specially brought to Australia, to the state of Tasmania. There they are used to increase the yield of clover, and bumblebees cope with their task with five points. And their peacefulness simplifies the process of using them.
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