Habitat for Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens)
Habitat for Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens)
Lian Genese, Shenelle Brown, Aaron Abbata
Brian Carter Studio
This habitat mimics a layer of leaves that might cover the underground burrow of a common Eastern bumble bee.
Meet the Pollinator
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Learn more about the unique lifestyle of the common Eastern bumble bee. Voiced by Ellie Shechet.
TranscriptI am a common Eastern bumble bee. My ancestors are from North America, and we like to live in woodlands and fields in underground nests. I leave the nest to look for pollen and nectar for my mother and the rest of my family, using my sense of smell to search for flowers. Like other bees, I can also see ultraviolet light on the flowers, which guides me to their pollen and nectar.
I hate to brag, but I am a very important pollinator of food crops. As I’m grabbing nectar, pollen sticks to my furry body. I also put pollen in my pollen basket, which is a curved area on my back legs, to bring back for my little sisters.
To release pollen from some stubborn flowers, I can perform a trick called “buzz pollination,” in which I grab the flower’s anthers in my mouth and shake my body. It takes practice, but I’ve gotten pretty good at it.
