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Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee

Bombus flavifrons

The Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee is a fuzzy little insect with bright yellow markings on its face. They are important pollinators, helping flowers grow by spreading pollen as they buzz from bloom to bloom.

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee has a distinctive furry body with a bright yellow patch on its head and the front of its thorax. A black band separates its wings, followed by yellow and black stripes on its abdomen, often ending with a rusty or yellow tail.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderHymenopteraFamilyApidaeGenusBombus
Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee
Photo: La4bonteCC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗
furry trait badgesocial trait badgegrassland trait badgeherbivorous trait badge
Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

3

Interesting facts

A queen bumble bee starts her entire colony all by herself in the spring!

Bumble bees visit thousands of flowers a day to collect nectar and pollen!

Their fuzzy bodies act like tiny warm coats, keeping them toasty in cool weather.

They can tell other bees about good flower patches using scent markers.

Special abilities

Ability

Buzz Pollination Power

Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee can vibrate its flight muscles to 'buzz' certain flowers, shaking out hidden pollen that other bees can't reach.

Ability

Cold Weather Flyer

Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee has special muscles it can shiver to warm its body, allowing it to forage in cooler weather than most bees.

Ability

Sweet Sip Straw

Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee can extend its long, straw-like tongue (proboscis) to reach sweet nectar hidden deep inside complex flowers.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
18-40 mm
Size
9-20 mm
Lifespan
14-42 days
Flight Speed
15 km/h
Leg Count
6
Colony Size
500

Diet & Feeding

These fuzzy bees sip sweet nectar for energy and gather pollen for their growing babies.

Primary Foods

  • Nectar
  • Pollen
  • Lupine
  • Clover
  • Aster

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

Pollinates

Red Clover

Trifolium pratense

Helps this plant reproduce by carrying pollen.

Pollinates

Bigleaf Lupine

Lupinus polyphyllus

An important pollinator for this colorful wildflower.

Eaten by

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Sometimes caught and eaten by this agile bird.

Parasitizes

Thick-headed Fly

Physocephala tibialis

Its larvae develop inside the bumble bee's body.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

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 Yellow-fronted 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 Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee's wingspan?

18-40 mm

How big is Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee?

9-20 mm

How long does Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee live?

14-42 days

How fast can Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee fly?

15 km/h

What does Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee eat?

These fuzzy bees sip sweet nectar for energy and gather pollen for their growing babies.

Where is Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee usually found?

Grasslands

How does Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee hunt?

Foraging

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