the essentials in brief
- The important pollinators are protected and may not be killed or caught.
- There are 36 different species of bumblebee in Germany.
- Bumblebees live like bees in colonies, but build their nests in the earth or in cracks.
Everything about bumblebees
Bumblebees are a genus with the scientific name of bombus that belongs to the real bees. The state-forming insects are a lower classification within the hymenoptera and belong to the stinging or weir voice. Their main area of distribution extends over the temperate and cooler latitudes. In their way of life they hardly differ from that of bees.
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| answer | |
|---|---|
| What do bumblebees eat? | Pollen and nectar |
| How long do bumblebees live? | Lifespan between two weeks and a year |
| Where do bumblebees sleep? | sleep on blossoms |
| When do bumblebees die? | when there is a lack of food and due to the cold |
natural reserve
Bumblebees are protected
The hard-working insects take on important functions in the ecosystem. They are outnumbered by other True Bees and are threatened by the decline in food sources and habitats. Protected and undisturbed wintering quarters are especially important for the wintering young queens. These are also disappearing more and more, which is why the insects are protected by the Nature Conservation Act. Protection continues to exist through the Species Protection Act, because bumblebees are endangered by the use of pesticides and early mowing of flower strips.
That is forbidden:
- Trapping and injuring the insects
- intentional killing
- Damaging or destroying breeding sites and resting places
Natural enemies
Bumblebees are parasitized by the closely related cuckoo bumblebees. The males of the large woolly bee defend themselves against flying bees and bumblebees that accidentally get into their territory. They fly towards the intruders and curve their thorny abdomen forwards just before the collision. The wings of bumblebees are often destroyed on impact, rendering them unable to fly and starving to death.
The wax moth poses a greater danger because it can destroy an entire bumblebee colony. It is attracted by the scent of nectar and pollen in the bumblebee nests and lays its eggs there. When the larvae hatch, they eat their way into the combs and devour bumblebee eggs and larvae.
Bumblebees are hosts of bee ants, whose females invade the bumblebee nests and lay one egg per cell. The larvae eat the entire brood and then pupate. Despite this way of life, an infestation with the bee ant does not inevitably result in the demise of the entire bumblebee colony.
Other enemies:
- Thick-headed fly: lays eggs in adult bumblebees
- Mites: infect bumblebees and feed on their blood
- person: Use of pesticides and insecticides kills bumblebees
How do bumblebees reproduce?
Bumblebees mate in summer
Between July and August, drones prefer large flowers that are rich in nectar. Here they are waiting for a young queen to mate with her. While the queen can only mate once, the drones can mate several females. Immediately after mating, the fertilized young queens look for a place to hibernate.
Summit Balz
The males of the light ones Earth bumblebee look for exposed places in the area to position themselves there. These can be hills or mountain tops that protrude as far as possible from the landscape. The males are easily recognizable by the females towards the horizon. If they are willing to mate, they fly specifically to these locations.
Patrol flights
In this type of courtship, the males of the dark bumblebees, stone bumblebees and garden bumblebees repeatedly fly along fixed routes that are 200 to 300 meters long. The altitude of the drones differs between the species. Garden bumblebees prefer to fly near the ground, while stone bumblebees can be found near the top of a tree.
The drones leave pheromones on branches and leaves at a distance of five to ten meters. Females are attracted by the pheromones, which is why the mating chance according to scientific assumptions is greatest in the area of the markings.
Accumulations
Mooshummel drones gather in large numbers in front of the nests of other bumblebee colonies who are not closely related. They stay at the nest exit and wait for the young queens to pour out. Researchers have put forward the theory that males use the smell to orient themselves and thus find foreign nests.
What do bumblebees look like?
Wild bumblebees are difficult to spot in nature. Among the 36 species occurring in Germany, there are large and small bumblebees that are active at different times. However, the largest period of activity overlaps, as most of the nectar plants bloom in summer. The color on the body must be used to distinguish the seven most common types.
| Flight times | coloring | |
|---|---|---|
| Dark bumblebee | Mid-February to mid-October | two yellow cross bars, white tip of the abdomen |
| Bright earth bumblebee | March to September | orange-gray to brown bands, white abdomen |
| Stone bumblebee | March to September | The end of the abdomen is brownish red |
| Meadow bumblebee | Mid-February to June | yellow and orange bands |
| Tree bumblebee | Mid-February to September | Upper body orange-brown, abdomen black |
| Bumblebee | Mid-March to mid-November | Upper body yellowish to reddish brown, abdomen banded with white |
| Garden bumblebee | March to September | golden yellow bands with black spaces |
Black bumblebees?
This beautiful insect is not a bumblebee but a bee
Because of its size, the blue one Wooden bee often mistaken for a bumblebee. It is the largest native wild bee species and recognizable by its blue wings, which stand out against the black-colored and shiny metallic body. The blue wooden bee is a peaceful insect.
In portrait: wasps, bees, bumblebees and hornets
These insects belong to the hymenoptera and each have their own way of life, which, however, are similar in some respects. While bumblebees are particularly threatening due to their loud humming noises and their size, they are far safer than bees and wasps. Look just as dangerous Hornets. Like bumblebees, these only sting in exceptional cases when threatened.
Interesting facts:
- Honey bee venom is more toxic than hornet venom
- Unlike males, female bumblebees have a sting
- Bumblebees, hornets and wasps only use their nests for one year
- Bumblebees and bees can be bought for pollination
Where and how do bumblebees live?
Bumblebees build their nests in the ground
Bumblebees are social insects that support each other in the colony and help the species survive. Unlike bees, they do not communicate about the direction and distance of a source of nectar. However, by releasing pheromones, they can tell their fellow species that there is nectar in the area. Every bumblebee must first learn which plants provide nectar and how they get the coveted food.
Typical nest structure
- Pitcher to urn-shaped cell arrangement
- Nest resembles a looser and upright heap
- A shell made of hair, grass and moss isolates the nest
- additional wax layer protects against heat loss
Digression
Breeding behavior
How do bumblebees nest?
In spring, the young queens look for a suitable place to build their nests. Depending on the species, the insects use different nesting sites. Earth bumblebees prefer to colonize burrows, while tree bumblebees can nest in abandoned bird nests. The nests are only used for one year. Only in rare cases does the queen return to the old one Bumblebee nest back to where she grew up herself. In the tropics there are colonies of bumblebees that colonize a nest for several years.
Where bumblebees build their nests:
- in the masonry: Cracks and cavities
- in the garden: Holes in the earth, in the moss or in hollow tree trunks
- on buildings: in the roller shutter box, under the roof or in the window frame
How many bumblebees live in a nest?
A bumblebee colony can accommodate between 50 and 600 insects. The exact number of individuals varies depending on the species. Women workers make up the bulk of a people. Several hundred young queens can grow up in a large state.
Why can bumblebees fly?
Even wet bumblebees can fly
According to an aerodynamicist's calculations, bumblebees cannot actually fly. Contrary to this theory, bumblebees move in the air. They fly even in the rain and cling to a nectar-rich bloom, soaked through, to weather the bad weather. The wings of a bumblebee are extremely elastic because they mainly consist of the protein resilin. This can expand to three times its size without tearing.
Because of this high flexibility, eddies arise at the tip when the wings are flapped. Large volumes of air are set in motion and provide the necessary buoyancy to get the voluminous bumblebee bodies into the air.
How do bumblebees fly?
A wing can move up when there is less pressure on the top than under the wing. In order to reduce the pressure on the top, the wing must be curved as much as possible. The bumblebee wing has a joint in the middle, which is also made of resilin.
The bumblebee flaps its inclined wings forward. Then the wing is rotated so that the top and bottom are swapped. In this position, the insect moves its wings backwards. The wing tips form the foremost point with every movement. In this self-contained movement, a vortex is created at the leading edge, which makes the supposedly physically impossible flight possible for the bumblebees.
What do bumblebees do in winter?
Shortly after mating, which takes place between July and August, the young queens look for a suitable place to overwinter. It has not yet been clarified why the insects are looking for wintering quarters so early in the year, because at this time there is still a plentiful supply of food. The young queens are therefore rarely seen, while the males can often be seen during their courtship flights. They die after mating and, like the workers, do not hibernate.
Suitable winter spots:
- Molehills
- compost
- pile of leaves
Are bumblebees dangerous?
Bumblebees can sting or bite. They have a sting, and the lancing apparatus is relatively poorly developed. The potential for aggression differs from species to species. However, bumblebees rarely sting because they are the most peaceful Weir barrels and warn enemies of an attack. Drones, on the other hand, have no sting and are completely harmless.
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Prickly apparatus and poisonous effects
The sting of a bumblebee does not get stuck in the skin when it stings, as it has no barbs. Therefore, bumblebees do not die after being stung. When it has pierced its stinger through the skin, the bumblebee transfers a poison into the victim. In humans, the sting causes a slight pinch. However, the poison can cause pain, itching, swelling, and redness. For most people it is a Bumblebee sting harmless. Only allergy sufferers can expect severe immune system reactions.
defense
If a threat arises, the bumblebee first lifts its middle leg and stretches it towards the attacker. If this does not deter the enemy, the bumblebee turns on its back and stretches its stinger towards the attacker. Meanwhile she tries to scare off the enemy with loud humming noises. If the threat persists, a sting attack may result. Occasionally bumblebees also bite for defense.
Drive away bumblebees?
In Germany it is forbidden to use a Bumblebee nest to remove or use means of killing for no particular reason. Anyone who acts contrary to the law can expect fines of 50,000 euros. It doesn't matter whether chemical insecticides or home remedies were used.
Bumblebees are protected and may only be relocated in exceptional cases with permission. There is an exception if an allergy sufferer can no longer use certain areas of the garden. In this case, you should contact a nature conservation organization such as the Nabu or volunteer bumblebee conservationists. In the event of imminent danger, skilled workers can remove or relocate nests.
How to keep bumblebees away:
- Protect your home with fly screens
- don't hit the bumblebees
- Only equip terraces and balconies with green plants
- Sow nectar-rich flowering plants in an undisturbed corner of the garden
What do bumblebees dislike?
Bumblebees don't like smoke
Bumblebees rarely get lost in the barbecue area because the insects don't like smoke. If you want to get rid of bumblebees, avoid floral perfumes and brightly colored clothing. Both of these confuse the bumblebee because it believes it has found a source of food.
Live with bumblebees
Bumblebees are important pollinators. You can pollinate flowers with long tubular florets such as broad beans and red clover. Honey bees do not get deep enough into the flower structures with their short mouthparts. In the greenhouse, bumblebees use their vibrations to support the self-pollination of tomatoes and peppers, which otherwise has to be done by hand.
Bumblebees are able to raise their body temperature. This allows them to fly even in bad weather and low temperatures and pollinate vegetables and fruit trees in bad weather periods. Even when rainy periods last the entire summer, bumblebees ensure pollination. Bees withdraw under these conditions.
Bumblebees are extremely useful and peaceful creatures that enrich any garden.
Attract bumblebees
If you are a Insect hotel(€ 11.33 at Amazon *) for bumblebees or built them yourself, you need to do some persuasion. Only around 25 percent of all nesting aids are automatically colonized. Once the box has been inhabited, the chances of repopulation by the descendants are very high. An attractive food supply in the garden is important for its use.
To settle earth bumblebees, the box is placed on the ground. Fake a mouse hole by burying a tube and letting the opening protrude from the ground. The second opening ends in the bumblebee box. The hose should have an inside diameter of 2.5 centimeters and no longer than a meter. The entrance becomes more attractive if the opening at the edge is lightly mossed.
Tips
A board leaning against the box at an angle automatically guides bumblebees to the entrance when they fly above the ground in search of a hole in the ground. When touched, they follow the board upwards.
Better flowering meadows than bumblebee houses
Flowering meadows make more sense than bumblebee boxes
Special bumblebee boxes are available in stores, with which nature lovers and hobby gardeners can establish bumblebees in the garden. However, bumblebees rarely accept such boxes. If there are already cracks in the wood in which holes have been drilled, bumblebees completely refrain from colonization. The insects also disdain plastic and metal. Such nest boxes are more often accepted by solitary wild bees. With a species-rich flower meadow, you support the bumblebees in a natural way.
Tips
Hollow bricks offer an ideal nesting place. The entrance should be close to the ground.
Which plants like bumblebees?
So-called traditional plants have a special meaning in beekeeping. These plants are preferred by bees because they are rich in nectar and pollen. Bumblebees also like such plants. Visiting bees and bumblebees is particularly important for fruiting in fruit trees. You can specifically help bumblebees by growing such nectar plants. When choosing plants, look for a mix of early and late flowering species. This ensures a continuous supply of nectar from late winter to autumn.
Flowers for bumblebees:
- Early bloomer: Crocus
- Perennials: Marigold, bee friend
- Balcony flowers: Kosmea, everlasting flower
- Woods: Rhododendron, marshmallow
- Herbs: Lavender, chives, oregano
Care for weakened bumblebees
In high and late summer there is usually insufficient food and many bumblebees are too weak to reach the last flowers. You can save the insects by putting a small drop of sugar solution directly on the soil. The bumblebee smells the energy source and ingests the food with its trunk.
Bumblebees as inspiration
People are fascinated by the furry flight artists who perform even under adverse conditions. Her will to survive seems to dominate her. The special way of life of the insects always gives rise to inspiration in the media world.
- Bumblebees in the heart: novel by Petra Hülsmann
- Bumblebees in the stomach: film based on the novel by Jo Berger
- Bumblebees - bees in fur: Documentary by Kurt Mündl
- Bumblebees in the ass: travel blog
- Bumblebees fly even when it rains: novel by Andrea Kraft
frequently asked Questions
Why do so many bumblebees die in summer?
In midsummer, a lack of nectar means that masses of dead bumblebees lie under linden trees. When they have discovered the coveted nectar sources, they are often too weak to reach them. Linden trees are the last important suppliers of nectar as the end of the growing season approaches. This development is particularly drastic in cities, because large areas are sealed off. The food supply is negligible here.
Here's how you can help bumblebees:
- offer a drop of sugar water
- Install the feeding station in the garden
- Plant bushes for bees and bumblebees
How old do bumblebees get?
The life expectancy of insects depends not only on environmental conditions but also on social status. Queens hibernate and can live up to a year. The workers that hatch in spring live for several months, while the foragers die after two to three weeks. In late summer, drones are produced that have a life expectancy of one month.
What do bumblebees eat?
The insects feed on pollen and nectar that they collect from various flowering plants. Because of their long mouthparts, bumblebees can also get deep nectar in long tubular flowers. Clover is one of her favorite plants. They also fly on willows, fruit trees, adder heads or oregano.
What do bumblebees do with the pollen?
The workers use the collected nectar to meet their high energy needs. To ensure the survival of the colony, the bumblebees fill their collecting bladders with nectar. This is excreted as honey and serves as food for the queen and offspring in the nest.
They scrape off pollen with their belly, which is transported in the pollen sacs. The queen forms a pea-sized ball from the pollen, which is covered with wax. It then lays its eggs so that the offspring can be supplied with food as soon as they hatch.
Why can bumblebees fly?
In the 1930s, the Hummel paradox was circulating in the media, which was originally intended as a joke by an aerodynamicist. He made a calculation and came to the conclusion that bumblebees are actually not allowed to fly because of their unequal ratio of wing area to body volume.
It later turned out that there is no paradox here. When a bumblebee flaps its wings, it creates vortices. A bumblebee can move its wings circularly up to 200 times per second, creating tornado-like air vortices. These create a negative pressure, which causes the bumblebee to rise into the air.
Do bumblebees produce honey?
In spring, the queen goes looking for pollen and nectar to produce what is known as bee bread. The honey is excreted from the abdomen and serves as building material and energy-rich food. She forms a cell from the honey, in which she lays her first eggs. In addition, she builds a pot that is then filled with honey. The queen feeds on this supply while she hatches her eggs.