The most commonly encountered bumblebee across much of eastern North America. They have short and even hair, medium-sized heads with cheeks that are similar in width to their heads, and a long and rectangular body. The hue of yellow tends to be paler than in other species and they tend to have a greyish black spot in the middle of the thorax. These bees are extremely important pollinators.
Bombus impatiens are generalists feeding on nectar from a large variety of plants including Asters, mountain laurel, rose, clover, purple vetch, pickerel weed, purple loosestrife, buttonbush, beggar's ticks, goldenrod, boneset, burdock, and Impatiens
Bombus impatiens have underground nests that are 1–3 feet below the ground surface. They enter their nests using tunnels that are 18 inches to 9 feet long. Unlike the nests of honeybees or paper wasps, the nests of B. impatiens do not have a predictable pattern. The labor for the workers is divided according to their body sizes. They vary in size, and the smaller bees are usually found near the center of the nest with the job of feeding the larvae whereas the bigger workers are usually found at the periphery, working as foragers and as guards. Foragers of B. impatiens colonies use a strategy called traplining, in which the bees visit their food sources in a repeatable sequence, to improve their efficiency, especially in an unfamiliar environment. To create honey, the bees consume the pollen and the nectar, and then regurgitate them, mixing them with enzymes in their stomachs.
Bees play in a significant role in pollinating crops. A decline in bee population leads to a decline in crop yield, which will then result in a reduction in the food supply and cause economic hardships for farmers. Commercially produced B. impatiens is one of the most important species of pollinator bees that are used by greenhouse industry in North America, including Canada and Mexico.
Least Concern
