# Vancouver Bumble Bee (*Bombus vancouverensis*) The Vancouver Bumble Bee is a fuzzy little insect that loves to buzz around flowers. They help plants grow by spreading pollen, making them super important for nature! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Vancouver Bumble Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bombus_bifarius.jpg&width=800) Photo: USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bombus_bifarius.jpg) ## Appearance The Vancouver Bumble Bee is a medium-sized, fuzzy bee with a distinct pattern of black and bright yellow bands across its body. It has a notable reddish-orange patch on the tip of its abdomen. This coloring helps differentiate it from other dark bumble bees in its range. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Bombus ## Interesting facts - Queen Vancouver Bumble Bees hibernate alone underground all winter before starting a new colony. - These busy bees visit hundreds of flowers daily, helping plants grow fruits and seeds! - They have long tongues, perfect for sipping nectar from deep inside many different kinds of flowers. - Unlike honey bees, Vancouver Bumble Bees make only small amounts of honey, just enough for their colony. ## Special abilities - **Buzz Pollination Power:** Vancouver Bumble Bee can vibrate its flight muscles to shake pollen out of flowers, like a mini earthquake, because it helps them collect more food. - **Cool Climate Flyer:** Vancouver Bumble Bee has a fuzzy body that traps warmth and helps it fly in cooler weather, giving it an advantage over many other insects. - **Super Flower Navigator:** Vancouver Bumble Bee can remember the best flower patches and efficient routes because it helps them find food quickly for the colony. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 15-40 mm - **Size:** 9-20 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-45 days - **Flight Speed:** 10-20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 50-400 ## Diet & Feeding They drink sugary nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen to feed their growing family. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Clover flowers, Lupine flowers, Thistle flowers - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Red Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-clover) (*Trifolium pratense*) — Vital for the plant's seed production. - **Pollinates:** Bigleaf Lupine (*Lupinus polyphyllus*) — Helps these tall flowers produce new seeds. - **Eaten by:** Flower Crab Spider (*Misumena vatia*) — An ambush predator hidden in flowers. - **Parasitizes:** [Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/indiscriminate-cuckoo-bumble-bee) (*Bombus insularis*) — Lays its eggs in the Vancouver Bumble Bee's nest. ## 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 watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Vancouver 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 Vancouver Bumble Bee's wingspan? 15-40 mm ### How big is Vancouver Bumble Bee? 9-20 mm ### How long does Vancouver Bumble Bee live? 15-45 days ### How fast can Vancouver Bumble Bee fly? 10-20 km/h ### What does Vancouver Bumble Bee eat? They drink sugary nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen to feed their growing family. ### Where is Vancouver Bumble Bee usually found? Urban areas ### How does Vancouver Bumble Bee hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Polebridge Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/polebridge-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Belly River Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belly-river-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Nyack Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nyack-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Dionisio Point Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dionisio-point-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/burgoyne-bay-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Cowichan River Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cowichan-river-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Vancouver Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/vancouver-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: [Vancouver Bumble Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/vancouver-bumble-bee)