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American Bumblebee

American Bumblebee

Bombus pensylvanicus

Endangered Vulnerable

Quick Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Abundance: Uncommon
Habitat: Grassland, Urban
Activity: Diurnal (Active during day)

A threatened species of bumblebee native to North America. It is relatively large and very fuzzy. Compared to other native bumblebees, Bombus pensylvanicus tends to be paler yellow and with a different pattern of yellow and black banding. Once the most prevalent bumblebee in the southern United States, populations of Bombus pensylvanicus have decreased significantly in recent years.

Diet

Forages nectar from flowers, especially clover and sunflowers.

Activity Pattern

Diurnal (Active during day)
Kingdom: Animalia
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Phylum: Arthropoda
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Class: Insecta
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Order: Hymenoptera
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Family: Apidae
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Genus: Bombus
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Species: Bombus pensylvanicus

Scientific Name

Bombus pensylvanicus

Behavior

Unlike many of our native solitary bees, American Bumblebees are highly social and form annual colonies consisting of a single queen, female workers, and males. New queens emerge from their underground overwintering site in late May and June. The queen must immediately forage to rebuild her body reserves. Once she finds a suitable nest site, she collects nectar and pollen from flowers to support the production of her eggs. The bees nest mostly on the surface of the ground, among long grass or hay stacks, but occasionally underground.

Ecological Role

Native bees are crucial to pollination of plants including agricultural crops.

Activity Pattern

Diurnal (Active during day)

Habitat Types

Grassland
Urban

Geographic Distribution

Ranges from the Eastern Great Plains to eastern and central US and southern Canada, and Mexico. The species has become rarer, declining in number mainly in northern parts of its range.

Local Abundance

Uncommon

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

This species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Endangered Species

This species is at risk of extinction. Conservation efforts are critical for its survival.

Threats & Impacts

These friendly insects are in decline due to a multitude of issues, including but not limited to, habitat loss, pesticide use, pollution, and mites. The easiest way to help bumble bees is to plant native habitat.

How You Can Help

  • Report sightings to contribute to population monitoring
  • Support habitat conservation efforts
  • Follow guidelines when observing wildlife
  • Support conservation organizations working to protect this species
No field notes or observations available for this species.

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