Rusty Patched Bumble BeeBombus affinis
Listed as endangered — rarely seen, and worth the walk.
Quick facts
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Active during
- Morning
- Found in
- Strawbend Fields
- Length
- 0.6 in
- Wingspan
- 0.8 in
From the field notes
Nectar Robbers
When a flower is too deep, these bees bite a hole near the base to steal the nectar directly, bypassing the flower’s pollination process.
Defense
They have smooth stingers, which allow them to pull them out of their victims without hurting themselves. However, they are very gentle, only using their stingers as a last resort
Buzz Pollination
When grabbing onto a blossom, these bees vibrate their flight muscles incredibly fast, essentially shaking loose pollen that other insects cannot reach. This makes them highly efficient and crucial pollinators for certain crops.
The Underground Nest
Only newly mated queens survive the winter. When she emerges in the spring, this queen bee searches for an abandoned mouse burrow to construct her new nest, rather than building a hanging hive.
Field Marks
Worker and male bees feature a central reddish-orange band of fur on the abdomen, bordered entirely by yellow.