# Great Basin Bumble Bee (*Bombus centralis*) The Great Basin Bumble Bee is a fuzzy, friendly bee that loves to visit flowers. They help plants grow by spreading pollen while they collect nectar. These bees are important for our gardens and wildflowers! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Great Basin Bumble Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bombus_centralis.jpg&width=800) Photo: James P. Strange, USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bombus_centralis.jpg) ## Appearance The Great Basin Bumble Bee has a fuzzy body, primarily yellow with a distinct black band between its wings on the thorax. Its abdomen is mostly yellow, often featuring a black band on the second segment and sometimes rusty orange on the final segments, making it quite striking. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Bombus ## Interesting facts - Many Great Basin Bumble Bees choose abandoned rodent burrows for their nests. - Queens wake up in early spring and start new colonies all by themselves! - These bees make tiny wax pots inside their nests to store nectar for food. - They are really good at remembering which flowers have the best nectar! ## Special abilities - **Buzz Pollination:** Great Basin Bumble Bee can vibrate flowers at a special frequency to shake out hidden pollen, helping plants grow. - **Internal Heater:** Great Basin Bumble Bee can uncouple its wings and shiver flight muscles to generate heat, helping them fly in cool weather. - **Pollen Backpacks:** Great Basin Bumble Bee has special 'baskets' on its hind legs to pack and carry large amounts of pollen back to its nest. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-40 mm - **Size:** 10-25 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-365 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 300 ## Diet & Feeding Great Basin Bumble Bees buzz around flowers sipping sweet nectar and collecting protein-rich pollen. - **Age differences:** Larvae are fed a mixture of pollen and nectar by worker bees. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Lupine flowers, Sunflower flowers, Geranium flowers - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Silvery Lupine (*Lupinus argenteus*) — Buzz pollination helps release pollen from these flowers. - **Pollinates:** Common Sunflower (*Helianthus annuus*) — Visits the large flower heads to collect pollen and nectar. - **Pollinates:** [Sticky Geranium](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sticky-geranium) (*Geranium viscosissimum*) — An important nectar and pollen source in its habitat. - **Eaten by:** [Western Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-kingbird) (*Tyrannus verticalis*) — This bird catches flying insects, including bumble bees. ## 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. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [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. - [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 Be gentle and stay calm if you see a bee. They usually won't bother you if you don't bother them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Great Basin 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 Great Basin Bumble Bee's wingspan? 25-40 mm ### How big is Great Basin Bumble Bee? 10-25 mm ### How long does Great Basin Bumble Bee live? 14-365 days ### How fast can Great Basin Bumble Bee fly? 15 km/h ### What does Great Basin Bumble Bee eat? Great Basin Bumble Bees buzz around flowers sipping sweet nectar and collecting protein-rich pollen. ### Where is Great Basin Bumble Bee usually found? Mountain regions ### How does Great Basin Bumble Bee hunt? Foraging ## 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: [Great Basin Bumble Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-basin-bumble-bee)