CLOSED: Bumble bee

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bigcityal Appleton, WI(Zone 5a) Aug 26, 2008

I had one of these giant bumble bees in my garden tonight. Is there something different about these? Normal bumbles are a 1/3 of this size and the wings are all black instead of being more transparent.

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bigcityal Appleton, WI(Zone 5a) Aug 26, 2008

The only other time I saw one this year was in a field with hummingbird moths - I'm amazed these things can get off the ground.LOL

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maccionoadha Halifax, MA(Zone 6a) Aug 26, 2008

I believe this is the American Bumble Bee(Bombus pennsylvanicus.

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bigcityal Appleton, WI(Zone 5a) Aug 26, 2008

So is that a different species than the common ones here like this:

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wallaby1 Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a) Aug 26, 2008

Al, the big ones will be queens. They are the only ones to survive over winter, emerging in spring to make a nest, starting off the nest with female workers. Around early August, usually, males and new queens will hatch, the males mate with the queens then males and workers die off. Cycle starts again, lol, be pleased you're not a male bumblebee.

http://www.bumblebee.org/NorthAmerica.htm

I agree, it looks like Bombus pennsylvanicus. Markings on female workers are often the same as the queen but they are smaller, males often differ in pattern and are also smaller.

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maccionoadha Halifax, MA(Zone 6a) Aug 28, 2008

This looks like Golden Northern Bumble Bee(Bombus fervidus).


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