Stats

Lifespan: Annual colony
Size: Large
Diet: Herbivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Colony
Biome: Temperate grassland
Range: Europe
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Venom
Status: Common

About

One of Europe's most widespread pollinators, the buff-tailed bumblebee vibrates its flight muscles at around 400 Hz to shake pollen loose from flowers — a technique called buzz pollination used by fewer than 10% of bee species. Queens overwinter alone and build colonies of up to 400 workers by summer.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
Species: Bombus terrestris