Bombus fraternus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bombus fraternus |
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| Conservation status | |
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Bombus
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| Species: |
fraternus
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Bombus fraternus is a special kind of bumblebee often called the Southern Plains bumblebee. It lives in the United States, mostly east of the Rocky Mountains. You can find it in the southern Great Plains and along the Gulf Coastal Plain. This bee used to be rare, but now its numbers are much lower, less than 15% of what they once were. This means it's an endangered species.
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What is the Southern Plains Bumblebee?
Bumblebees are a type of insect that belongs to the genus Bombus. They are part of a larger group of insects called Hymenoptera, which also includes ants and wasps. The Southern Plains bumblebee, Bombus fraternus, was first described by a scientist named Frederick Smith in 1854. It is part of a smaller group of bumblebees called Cullumanobombus.
How Does the Southern Plains Bumblebee Look?
The Southern Plains bumblebee is mostly black. It has bright yellow bands across its body, especially on its thorax (the middle part of its body) and abdomen (the back part). These yellow bands help tell it apart from other bumblebees.
Size and Unique Features
This bumblebee is quite large compared to other bumblebees. It also has unusual hairs on its abdomen. Instead of being fluffy like most bumblebees, these hairs look flattened.
- Queens: The queen bees are the largest, measuring about 0.97 to 1.07 inches (25-27 mm) long.
- Workers: Worker bees are smaller, about 0.56 to 0.75 inches (15-19 mm) long.
- Males: Male bees are also large, around 0.85 to 1.00 inches (22-25 mm) long. They have much bigger eyes than females and long antennae.
Both male and female bees have similar yellow and black colors. The female's body has short yellow and black hairs. The third part of her abdomen has unique flattened, black hairs. The hairs on her face and sides are usually black.
Where Does the Southern Plains Bumblebee Live?
The Southern Plains bumblebee lives in open areas like prairies, meadows, and grasslands. You can find them in the southeastern coastal plain and across the Great Plains, from Texas all the way up to North Dakota.
What Do They Eat?
These bumblebees are not picky eaters! They visit many different kinds of flowering plants from at least 20 plant families. Some of their favorite food plants include Asclepias (milkweed), Bidens, blanket flower, bush clover, Cassia, Eryngium, Hypericum, Liatris, Melilotus, Monarda, Padus, Ratibida, Solidago (goldenrod), and Vaccinium (blueberry).
Where Do They Nest?
Southern Plains bumblebees build their nests underground. Bumblebees usually don't dig their own homes. Instead, they look for existing holes or spaces. These can be old burrows made by rodents or other animals. They might also use spaces above ground like old logs, tree stumps, old bird nests, or thick clumps of grass.
Where Do They Hibernate?
After mating, female bees need a safe place to sleep through the winter. This is called hibernating. Scientists don't know exactly where this species hibernates. However, these winter sleeping spots are different from their summer nesting sites. Bumblebees generally hibernate close to the ground, perhaps an inch or two deep in loose soil. They might also hide under fallen leaves or other natural debris. These spots need to be quiet and undisturbed.
Where Can You Find the Southern Plains Bumblebee?
Historically, the Southern Plains bumblebee was found across the southern and central Great Plains. It also lived along the southeastern coastal plain. This bee has been seen in 27 states in the U.S. It was rarely seen in the northern parts of its range, like North Dakota and Michigan. There are also a few old records from Chihuahua, Mexico, but none from the last ten years. This species has never been found in Canada.
