Bumblebee Species

We wanted to highlight this beautiful illustration, outlining various bumblebee species! This lovely piece is brought to us by U.K. Illustrator, Catherine Pape. 

Bumblebee's are very important members of the pollinator family. Among the bumblebee's illustrated above, there are 24 total species of bumblebees in the world! There are also around 225 species of solitary bee and just a single honeybee species!

Bumblebees look quite different from honeybees and solitary bees, given their often dense hairy exterior. They often times are a bit larger and rounder all together. You can check if you have a bumblebee in your garden, by comparing the images above, but remember that not all bumblebee species have the same colours of hair, or markings. You can see a detailed identification list here.

Keep pollinators & other bees safe by refraining from pesticide use & planting bee friendly seeds in your outdoor space! Join the movement & help bee the change!

Bumblebee Warriors

In line with honey bees, bumblebees are also very important pollinators! Without bumblebees we would not have many of the fruits, vegetables and wildflowers that we all love so much!

Almost every tomato in the world is pollinated by bumblebees as they need to be 'buzz pollinated'. In Australia, where there are no native bumblebees, tomatoes are all pollinated by hand, using something that looks like an electrical toothbrush which 'buzzes' them.

What is buzz pollination you ask? 
Buzz pollination is a technique used by most bumble bees, to release pollen-which is more or less firmly held by the anthers (the part of the flower that holds the pollen). In order to release the pollen, bumblebees and some species of solitary bees are able to grab onto the flower and move their flight muscles rapidly, causing the flower and anthers to vibrate, dislodging pollen. This resonant vibration is called buzz pollination. The honeybee cannot perform buzz pollination..