# Buff-tailed Bumble Bee (*Bombus terrestris*) The Buff-tailed Bumble Bee is a fuzzy, friendly insect that helps flowers grow by spreading pollen. They are often seen buzzing around gardens and fields, making them important for nature! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens - **Also known as:** Buff-tailed Bee ![Buff-tailed Bumble Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bumblebee_October_2007-3a.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bumblebee_October_2007-3a.jpg) ## Appearance The Buff-tailed Bumble Bee has a distinctive black body with two bright yellow bands across its thorax and one on the abdomen. Its most striking feature is a prominent buff or orangey-brown tail, which sets it apart from similar black and yellow bumblebees. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Bombus ## Interesting facts - A queen bumblebee can live for a whole year, hibernating alone underground! - Bumble bees can fly to high altitudes, even over mountains like the Himalayas! - Their wings beat super fast, over 200 times per second to keep them flying! - They have five eyes – two large compound eyes and three tiny ones on top! ## Special abilities - **Vibrating Pollen Shake:** Buff-tailed Bumble Bees can vibrate their flight muscles to release pollen from flowers, which helps them collect more food. - **Internal Heater:** Buff-tailed Bumble Bees can shiver their flight muscles to warm up, allowing them to fly in cooler weather than many other insects. - **Night Vision (UV Light Perception):** Buff-tailed Bumble Bees can see ultraviolet light, which helps them spot hidden patterns on flowers to guide them to nectar. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 38-46 mm - **Size:** 11-22 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-365 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 400 ## Diet & Feeding They sip sweet nectar from flowers for energy and collect pollen for protein to feed their babies. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, pollen - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Red Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-clover) (*Trifolium pratense*) — Vital for reproduction by moving pollen. - **Pollinates:** [Foxglove](https://www.snappit.app/explore/foxglove) (*Digitalis purpurea*) — Helps this tall flower make new seeds. - **Eaten by:** [European Bee-eater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-bee-eater) (*Merops apiaster*) — A colorful bird that catches bees mid-air. - **Parasitizes:** Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee (*Bombus vestalis*) — Takes over their nests to lay its own eggs. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Bumble bees are usually friendly, but it's best to stay calm and not swat at them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Buff-tailed Bumble Bee? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Buff-tailed Bumble Bee's wingspan? 38-46 mm ### How big is Buff-tailed Bumble Bee? 11-22 mm ### How long does Buff-tailed Bumble Bee live? 14-365 days ### How fast can Buff-tailed Bumble Bee fly? 15 km/h ### What does Buff-tailed Bumble Bee eat? They sip sweet nectar from flowers for energy and collect pollen for protein to feed their babies. ### Where is Buff-tailed Bumble Bee usually found? Gardens ### How does Buff-tailed Bumble Bee hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Knowsley Safari Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/knowsley-safari-park) — England, GB · Zoo - [Neuland-Park (Leverkusen)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/neuland-park-leverkusen) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Buff-tailed Bumble Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/buff-tailed-bumble-bee)