Vestal Cuckoo Bumble bee

Bombus vestalis

The Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee is a special bee that loves to visit flowers. It is known for its unique black and yellow stripes and helps plants grow by spreading pollen.

Hábitat: Grasslands

Aspecto

The Vestal Cuckoo Bumble bee has a bright lemon-yellow collar and a striking white or pale yellow tail. Its body is black with yellow stripes. Females often have less dense fur and no pollen baskets, giving them a slightly shinier abdomen.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenHymenopteraFamiliaApidaeGéneroBombus

Vestal Cuckoo Bumble bee

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

2/5 · Bajo

Snaps

¡Sé la primera persona en hacer un snap!

Datos interesantes

Female Vestal Cuckoos never collect pollen; they don't feed their own offspring!

Inside host nests, the cuckoo queen uses chemical signals to assert dominance.

The 'cuckoo' in its name refers to its cunning, like the bird's sneaky nesting!

This bee often targets Buff-tailed Bumblebee nests to raise its young.

Habilidades especiales

Vestal Cuckoo Bumble bees can sneak into host nests by mimicking scents, allowing them to take over without a fight.

Vestal Cuckoo Bumble bees have a clever strategy to lay eggs in another queen's nest, ensuring their young are raised for them.

Vestal Cuckoo Bumble bees lack pollen baskets; females never gather pollen or food, relying entirely on host bees.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 21-34 mm
Tamaño: 14-17 mm
Esperanza de vida: 30-365 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 15 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6

Dieta y alimentación

They primarily drink nectar from various flowers for energy, relying on other bees to feed their young.

Alimentos principales

Flower nectar
Thistle nectar
Clover nectar
Knapweed nectar

Método de búsqueda

Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

parasitizes

Buff-tailed Bumble bee

Bombus terrestris

Often invades and takes over this bumble bee's nests.

parasitizes

White-tailed Bumble bee

Bombus lucorum

Sometimes also a host for the cuckoo bumble bee's young.

pollinates

White Clover

Trifolium repens

Visits clover flowers to drink energy-rich nectar.

pollinates

Creeping Thistle

Cirsium arvense

Feeds on thistle nectar, providing pollination services.

Rasgos

Peludo

Peludo describe a los animales que poseen una cubierta densa de pelo o pelaje suave.

A rayas

Marcado con bandas paralelas o líneas de color.

Social

Los animales sociales viven en grupos organizados, cooperando para obtener beneficios de supervivencia como la búsqueda de alimento, la defensa y la cría de descendencia.