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Subfamily
Bombinae
Characteristics –
Size: Ranges up to 1 inch in length.
Color: Usually black with yellow stripes on the thorax
and abdomen.
Often confused with carpenter bees, bumblebees are characterized by
the hairiness of the abdomen (carpenter bees have a smooth abdomen).
Behavior –
As social insects, bumblebees live in colonies. Each spring a queen
that has survived over winter will find a suitable nesting site and
establish her colony. Her first brood of eggs mature into workers
that forage on pollen and nectar for food. The workers do produce
honey, but it is not edible to humans. The colony grows larger over
the summer and is usually discovered by a homeowner while gardening
or mowing the lawn. The bees will attack to defend their nest, so
they are considered a health concern. During the fall, the colony
produces a number of queens that fly out to find protected sites to
spend the winter and thus repeat the cycle next year.
Habitat – Bumblebees live in colonies, in old
rodent burrows, or other cavities within the ground. Occasionally,
bumblebees will establish a nest above ground in a wall, firewood
pile, shed, crawl space or attic.
Tips for Control –
 | To
prevent bees from establishing nests on a property, fill in all
animal burrows and holes in the soil.
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| Seal
holes in the building's exterior and ensure that all vents have
tight-fitting screens.
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| When
a nest is discovered in or around a home, a professional should
be contacted to treat the nest. |
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