The native plants in our landscape attract many different Bumble Bee species. Here are just a few of the species I photographed (and have hopefully correctly identified) in our yard this season.
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Black & Gold Bumble Bee
Bombus auricomus |
The Black & Gold Bumble Bee (
Bombus auricomus) is one of the largest bumble bees we have in the upper midwest. This season, they have been spotted on our Wild Lupine, then Wild Bergamot and now their preferred native plant is Tall Larkspur.
Tricolored Bumble Bee (
Bombus ternarius) are much smaller in size, with two distinctive dark orange bands. A similar looking species is
Bombus rufocinctus.
The Perplexing Bumble Bee (
Bombus perplexus) also likes the Wild Bergamot.
And a possible sighting of the rare Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (
Bombus affinis) on Culver's Root. "The rusty-patched bumble bee is an eastern bee whose workers have a small rust-colored patch on the middle of their second abdominal segment. This bee was once commonly distributed throughout the east and upper Midwest of the United States, but has steeply declined in recent years." (
The Xerces Society)
Native plants play an important role in helping Bumble Bee populations. Select regionally appropriate native species favored by Bumble Bees, create more Bumble Bee friendly habitat and don't use pesticides in your landscape.
For regionally specific plant lists, visit
The Xerces Society website. The Xerces Society also just released this new publication titled
Conserving Bumble Bees. Download a copy here:
Conserving Bumble Bees
Wonderful photographs! Bombus!
ReplyDeletethanks!
DeleteGreat photographs. I have lots of carpenter bees in my garden but despite many attempts, I just can't get a decent photograph. How did you get yours to pose so nicely??
ReplyDeleteThey are definitely hard to photograph, and to get a side or back profile to help with identification...
DeleteThe bumbles hold fairly still on the Wild Bergamot. I try and catch them in full sun so I can keep the shutter speed as high as possible.
I belong to the Xerces Society and it seems that so many pollinators are in trouble. I am not seeing any bumble bees yet and that concerns me...
ReplyDeleteYou asked about the monarchs.. Last summer was my first try at raising them and I raised 21. This year I only found 4 eggs which are in pupa. Most of the common milkweed is suffering from drought and the eggs I did find are from the swamp milkweed that I have planted. I do see a female monarch around today so I will check the plants for eggs..
I also have a spicebush cat that I never see as it feeds at night....Michelle
We've had fewer monarchs this year too, and very few caterpillars. I have seen some egg laying but find small caterpillars dead and not fully developed.
DeleteI have added your site to my sidebar as an important resource..thank you for all you do Heather..Michelle
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle!
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