# Half-black Bumble Bee (*Bombus vagans*) The Half-black Bumble Bee is a fuzzy little insect that helps flowers grow by spreading pollen. They are friendly and love to buzz around gardens, making them a joy to watch! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Gardens ![Half-black Bumble Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bombus_cf_vagans.jpg&width=800) Photo: maxson.erin, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bombus_cf_vagans.jpg) ## Appearance The Half-black Bumble Bee is fuzzy and robust, featuring a black head and the front half of its thorax bright yellow. The rear half of its thorax is black, contrasting with a mostly yellow abdomen that ends in a black tip. Its wings are dark and translucent. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Bombus ## Interesting facts - Bumble bees have tiny 'baskets' on their legs to collect pollen and carry it home. - The queen bee is the only one who survives winter to start a new colony. - They can carry huge loads of pollen on their fuzzy back legs! - They use their long tongues like straws to sip sweet nectar from flowers. ## Special abilities - **Chilly Flight Warm-Up:** Half-black Bumble Bee has a unique ability to shiver its muscles that helps them warm up and fly in cooler weather. - **Flower Finder Memory:** Half-black Bumble Bee can remember the best flower patches because it helps them forage more efficiently. - **Defense Zap:** Half-black Bumble Bee has a painful sting that helps them defend their nest and protect the colony from threats. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-35 mm - **Size:** 8-18 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-42 days - **Flight Speed:** 15-20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 50-200 ## Diet & Feeding These fuzzy bees sip sugary nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen to feed their young. - **Age differences:** Larvae are fed pollen and nectar by worker bees, while adult bees forage for their own food. - **Primary Foods:** Flower Nectar, Flower Pollen, Honey (stored), Royal Jelly (for larvae) - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Red Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-clover) (*Trifolium pratense*) — Vital for clover reproduction - **Pollinates:** [Common Milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) — Helps milkweed produce seeds - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — Occasionally preys on adult bees - **Parasitizes:** Conopid Fly (*Physocephala tibialis*) — Lays eggs on bees, larvae eat hosts ## 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 not aggressive, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Half-black 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 Half-black Bumble Bee's wingspan? 25-35 mm ### How big is Half-black Bumble Bee? 8-18 mm ### How long does Half-black Bumble Bee live? 14-42 days ### How fast can Half-black Bumble Bee fly? 15-20 km/h ### What does Half-black Bumble Bee eat? These fuzzy bees sip sugary nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen to feed their young. ### Where is Half-black Bumble Bee usually found? Gardens ### How does Half-black Bumble Bee hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [International Peace Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/international-peace-garden) — US · Botanical Garden - [Quaker Farms Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quaker-farms-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Thomas Indian School](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/thomas-indian-school) — New York, US · Campus - [Kokanee Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kokanee-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Half-black Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/half-black-bumble-bee) ## 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: [Half-black Bumble Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/half-black-bumble-bee)