# 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. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bombus_flavifrons.jpg&width=800) Photo: La4bonte, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bombus_flavifrons.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Bombus ## 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 - **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. - **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. - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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 - [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. - [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:** 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 ## Where to spot - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Bremner Historic Mining District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bremner-historic-mining-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [International Rose Test Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/international-rose-test-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Port Townsend Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/port-townsend-historic-district) — Washington, US · Historic District - [Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brackendale-eagles-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Cultus Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cultus-lake-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/yellow-fronted-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: [Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-fronted-bumble-bee)