The menace to Apis mellifera draws most of the press when discourse the decline of vital pollinators in North America . But while the scourge to Apis mellifera is a suitable topic that deserve word , it often eclipses the scourge to our native bees that are often more efficient pollinators than their exotic cousins .
North America bumblebees comprise roughly 50 related bee species in a range of colors and sizes scattered across the continent . Most of these bees are marked by the classic bumblebee visual aspect : a grownup fuzzy organic structure , often displaying traditional yellow-bellied and black word of advice colors , and a characteristic lazy escape design that meanders as the bees loudly seethe between attractive flowers . Bumblebees are social insects that be in small colonies typically found below the ground in shallow burrow , rather than in trees or on structures , that are produce by diminished vertebrates . Unlike honeybee , bumblebees do not create extravagant amounts honey — only enough to feed the colony for a short catamenia of time .
Well-Adapted
Bumblebees are particularly efficient pollinators thanks to the chiliad of years to adapt to the native plants and clime of North America . Because they ’re well adjusted to temperate environments than honeybees , they can continue pollinating during cool weather , with some metal money still actively feeding up until the point of freezing .
The Right Body Type
Two specific feature in particular to make bumblebees good pollinator : the distance of their tongues , and their haired bodies . The tongue duration will vary among coinage , and some are design perfectly for specific plant kin . The bumblebee ’s fuzzy appearance comes from fine branched or forked tomentum , which capture and defend on to pollen .
Buzzing Behavior
at last , the bumblebee execute a special trick known as “ buzz pollenation , ” which is essential for the fruit set of plant in the Solanaceae family , such as tomato plant or potatoes , as well as many other crops , like blueberries . These plants are very conservative with their pollen and want a limited maneuver to elicit pollen . A humblebee will come on the flower , grab on , and then utilize their flight muscleman to thrill the plant life , which help oneself to relinquish this hard - to - get pollen . While bumblebee are n’t the only insects capable of buzz pollination , it ’s a task that the well - publicize Apis mellifera can not do .
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