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Bumble Bee


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Bumble Bee
Bumble Bee
Bumble Bee
Bumble Bee
Bumble Bee
The bumble bee is the most common type of bee with around 250 different species of the bumble bee found around the world.

Despite the fact that the bumble bee can be found in many countries, it is indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere, breeding more successfully in the more temperate climates.

The bumble bee is best known for having a sting on it's tail, which the bumble bee uses to protect itself from danger. Once the bumble bee has stung something with it's sting, the sting breaks off and the bumble bee generally dies. Despite common belief, not every bumble bee has a sting, in fact the male bumble bees (known as drones) do not have a sting at all. Only the female bumble bee has a sting on it's tail.

One of the main causes in the decline of the bumble bee populations is the fact that the places where the bumble bees nest are being disturbed often destroying the bumble bee's nest in the process.

The bumble bee is a herbivorous animal feeding primarily on nectar. Bumble bees also eat pollen and honey when there is no nectar available. Bumble bees have numerous natural predators including birds, larger insects and amphibians such as frogs and newts.

The queen bumble bee is the one who lays the eggs. She lays her eggs in a round-shaped mound that she then seals with wax. When the baby bumbles bees (larvae) hatch they are forced to eat their way out of their sealed dome.

Bumble bees are known to play a valuable part in the eco-system as around 1/3 of what humans eat is pollinated by bees. It is estimated that around 80% of the world's crop species are dependent on the pollination by bees to survive.

Sadly due to high pollution levels and habitat loss, the bumble bee populations are rapidly declining with the bumble bee being one of the few insects that is classed as being threatened with extinction. Human beings do not give bees the respect they deserve, as bumble bees are vital to the survival of plants which are in turn vital to the survival of humans.

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Bumble Bee Facts

Kingdom:
A level of classifying all living things on earth, as similar species are broken into 5 groups including plants, animals and fungi....
Animalia
Phylum:
A level of classifying animals within the animal kingdom. Phylum are further divided into subgroups called classes....
Arthropoda
Class:
A level of classifying animals in a phylum. Classes are then sub-divided into further groups known as orders....
Insecta
Order:
A level used to classify animals. Classes are broken into sub-groups known as order, which are broken down further into families....
Hymenoptera
Family:
A level of classifying animals within an order. Orders are broken down in families and families are broken down further into smaller groups called genus....
Apidae
Genus:
A level of classifying animals within a family. Families are divided into sub-groups called genus which generally contain one or two animal species....
Bombus
Common Name:Bumble Bee
Scientific Name:Bombus
Found:Northern Hemisphere
Diet:Herbivore
Size:1.9-3.8cm (0.75-1.5in)
Number of Species:250
Average Lifespan:1 year
Conservation Status:
The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation s...
Threatened
Colour:Yellow, Black, Orange
Skin Type:Hair
Favourite Food:Nectar
Habitat:
The term habitat is used to describe a specific area where a particular animal lives, within an environment. Many animals have adapted to requiring specific conditions which can only be found in their natural habitat su...
Quiet forests and pastures
Average Litter Size:200
Main Prey:
When an animal is referred to prey, it means that the animal is either hunted or caught for food. Animals that are referred to as prey are generally hunted by bigger animals, although there are a number of exceptions....
Nectar, Pollen, Honey
Predators:
When an animal is referred to as a predator, it means that the animal either hunts or catches other animals. Predatory animals are generally dominant within their environment and will generally hunt animals smaller than...
Bats, Frogs, Skunks
Special Features:Black and yellow body and sting on tail of the female

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WaspWasp
There are around 75,000 recognised species!
FlyFly
There are more than 240,000 different species!
DragonflyDragonfly
It's larvae are carnivorous!

 

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