(Video by Diane De Luca at the McLane Center Pollinator Gardens)
This video shares a Bumblebee pollinating Great Blue Lobelia at the McLane Center Pollinator Gardens. Bumblebees are large robust insects with black and yellow coloration. A key to identifying the bumblebee is the hairy abdomen. Bumblebees are excellent pollinators and you can clearly see the large pollen baskets on the hind legs of this bumblebee.
A few bumblebee facts:
- Bumblebees are excellent pollinators and are active from early spring until late in the fall
- Bumblebees are social insects and live in underground colonies
- Bumblebees face many threats (along with many other pollinators) including habitat loss, climate change, pesticide impacts
We can all make a difference and help bumblebees:
- Provide pollen and nectar food by planting a variety of native plants that bloom through the season
- Provide nesting sites such as tree stumps and open ground
- Eliminate pesticide use