Bumblebee queen vs Honey bee queen – Are they the same? The world knows honeybees and bumblebees as the most widely known bee species. It is often assumed that these two species share a similar way of life or that what applies to honey bees is also true for bumblebees. However, their differences are fascinating….
Do Bumble Bees have a Queen? The simple answer is ´Yes´. The Bumble bee queen plays a crucial role in the survival of her colony, as she is responsible for laying the eggs that will become the next generation of workers. Unlike honeybees, without a queen, the bumblebee colony will die because only the queen…
How to Identify a Bumble Bee Drone Bumble Bee Drones or male bumble bees have no stinger in contrast to female worker bees. They have longer antennae and a narrower abdomen than their female counterparts. In addition, they also have hairy hind legs without pollen baskets and are smaller than the queen but slightly larger…
The Ruderal bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus) is also known as the Large garden bumble bee. It is geographically widespread but faces decline due to various contributing factors. Of the 23 bumble bee species in Britain, it is the most rare species and is listed on the Biodiversity Action Plan. The Ruderal bumblebee is native to Europe,…
The fairly small-sized Heath bumblebee (Bombus jonellus), also called small Heath bumble bee, is widespread in Europe, northern America, and northern Asia. It is more common north of 55ºN, and less widespread in southern latitudes. Although it falls into the white-tailed bumble bees category, in the Shetland and Western Isles male variations of this species…
The garden bumble bee (Bombus hortorum) is a relatively large bumble bee common in Europe. Queens, drones, and workers look similar featuring the same color pattern. They are identified by their white tail, three yellow bands, and long, thin face. The garden bumble bee looks very similar to thee other types of bumblebee. They are…
The White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) has, as its name suggests, a white ‘tail’. The rest of the body is black with two bright yellow bands. It looks almost identical to the buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus Terrestris) which has black and dull yellow bands, and a cream-colored tail. Buff-tailed bumble bee workers also often have white…
What is Melipona Honey? Melipona honey is produced exclusively by a species of stingless bees (Melipona beecheii). These bees are native to Central and South America. They gather nectar from specific plants, resulting in honey with a distinct taste, color, and nutritional profile. It is generally darker in color than traditional honey and has an…
The use of Melipona bees in Mesoamerica dates back to the pre-Columbian era. These highly valued stingless bees were used for their honey and wax, which was used for a variety of purposes. The Mesoamerican culture highly valued Honey and cerumen (wax) and used them as a method of exchange for other goods, as well…
Stingless bees (‘meliponines’) make up around 500 species worldwide. They are closely related to common honey bees, carpenter bees, orchid bees, and bumblebees. Despite their unique and fascinating features, they often get overlooked. Highly regarded and sacred in many cultures, they also play an important role in ecology. Unlike their more common counterparts, stingless…