# Two-spotted Bumble Bee (*Bombus bimaculatus*) The Two-spotted Bumble Bee is a fuzzy little insect that loves to visit flowers. It helps plants grow by spreading pollen while it collects nectar for food. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 80 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Two-spotted Bumblebee ![Two-spotted Bumble Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bombus_bimaculatus1.jpg&width=800) Photo: The Packer Lab, Attribution · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bombus_bimaculatus1.jpg) ## Appearance The Two-spotted Bumble Bee has a fuzzy, round body, primarily black with two distinct bright yellow bands across its thorax and abdomen. Its most notable feature is two yellow spots located on the front of its second abdominal segment, making it easy to identify. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Bombus ## Interesting facts - A single queen can lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime! - Bumble bees have excellent color vision, helping them find the brightest flowers. - Their super-fast wing beats create the distinct 'buzz' sound they are famous for! - They use tiny hairs on their bodies to carry pollen like miniature baskets. ## Special abilities - **Buzz Pollination:** Two-spotted Bumble Bee can shiver its flight muscles (sonication) to shake pollen from flowers that helps them access hidden nutrients. - **Internal Heater:** Two-spotted Bumble Bee can warm its body by vibrating muscles that helps them fly and forage even on cool days. - **Nectar Tank:** Two-spotted Bumble Bee has a 'honey stomach' (crop) that helps them carry nectar back to the nest for the colony. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-40 mm - **Size:** 9-20 mm - **Lifespan:** 20-365 days - **Flight Speed:** 18 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 1-400 ## Diet & Feeding Two-spotted Bumble Bees feast on nectar for energy and pollen for protein from flowers! - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Clover, Goldenrod, Jewelweed, Vetch - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Red Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-clover) (*Trifolium pratense*) — Vital for clover reproduction, helping new plants grow. - **Pollinates:** [Canada Goldenrod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canada-goldenrod) (*Solidago canadensis*) — Spreads goldenrod seeds for widespread plant growth. - **Parasitizes:** Thick-headed fly (*Physocephala tibialis*) — Fly larvae grow inside the bee, unfortunately harming it. - **Depends on:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — They compete for the same flower resources in shared habitats. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [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. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. - [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:** 2/5 · Low Stay calm and still if you see a bee. They usually won't bother you if you don't bother them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Two-spotted 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 Two-spotted Bumble Bee's wingspan? 25-40 mm ### How big is Two-spotted Bumble Bee? 9-20 mm ### How long does Two-spotted Bumble Bee live? 20-365 days ### How fast can Two-spotted Bumble Bee fly? 18 km/h ### What does Two-spotted Bumble Bee eat? Two-spotted Bumble Bees feast on nectar for energy and pollen for protein from flowers! ### Where is Two-spotted Bumble Bee usually found? Grasslands ### How does Two-spotted Bumble Bee hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albemarle-and-chesapeake-canal) — Virginia, US · Historic Site - [Anderson Japanese Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-japanese-gardens) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Barrington Civic Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrington-civic-center-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bartholomew's Cobble](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholomews-cobble) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bixby State Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bixby-state-preserve) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Two-spotted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/two-spotted-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: [Two-spotted Bumble Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/two-spotted-bumble-bee)