Bumble bees evolved from ancient carnivorous wasps that appeared in the Late Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era. Like many other insects, different types of bees began to diversify in the Paleogene Period of the Cenozoic Era. Bumblebees are fairly large bees with furry bodies.
Their color variations are useful in identifying different species. Every bumblebee buzzing around, with its plump, fuzzy body and familiar colors, tells a different story. This article will touch on a portion of the diverse types of bumblebee species worldwide.
Discover species with white tails, reddish-brown hues, nest-thieving behaviors, or an unexpected preference for red flowers. It can be tricky identifying bumblebees given that there are over 250 species of them across the world and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Fortunately, with the right information and some practice, it is possible to learn how to quickly identify them.
In this guide, we cover the different colors, shapes, and sizes of bumble bee specie and other tips for quickly recognizing. The bumble bee field guide can help you become familiar with the bumble bees in your region. Using the head, thorax, and abdomen filters (choose the color patterns you observe on the bee you'd like to identify) you can about bumble bee identification, and when selecting a species you will about their ecology - range map, important host plants, and look.
Bumble bees have stout, hairy, robust bodies - usually with black, yellow, and/or red coloration. Bumble bees are variable in size and color patterns, even within a single species, which can make identification challenging. While color variation makes identification difficult, the coloration and pattern of stripes on the abdomen and thorax are often used to distinguish one bumble bee species.
From the familiar yellow and black stripes of common bumblebee species to the more unusual shades found in certain populations, the colors of these busy pollinators play a crucial role in their behavior and communication. In fact, research has shown that different color morphs can even signal aggression or attract potential mates! There are 24 different species of bumblebee in the UK. To make it easier to tell which bumblebee is which, they can be grouped according to their tail colour: white/buff, red/orange and ginger/yellow.
Explore the bumblebee links below to discover more about each species or click ' about identification' to discover more about how to identify bumblebees. Color Patterns and Variations While many people associate bumble bees with black and yellow stripes, their color patterns exhibit diversity across species. These patterns consist of contrasting bands of color.
Beyond the common black and yellow, bumble bees can display segments of white, orange, red, or even entirely black fur. Bumble bee species can be differentiated by the pattern of different-colored bands or body segments. Looking at the bee's back from above and taking note of the color patterns from head to thorax is the most critical factor in identifying a specific species of bumble bee.
These segments can be black, brown, buff, yellow, red, orange, or white. The most recognized bee color is black and yellow, but there are many other colors, such as blue, orange, red, green, and even white bees. Identifying a bumblebee involves examining its abdomen, which is covered in black or yellow hairs.
Common examples include Bombus pensylvanicus, a fuzzy black.