Bumblebee: Key Facts & Natural History

Quick answer

The bumblebee is a large, fuzzy, black-and-yellow bee that is one of the most important pollinators in temperate regions. It lives in small annual colonies led by a single queen, feeds on nectar and pollen, and can fly in cooler, cloudier weather than many other bees. Bumblebees are 1.5 to 2.5 cm long, and their colonies last a single season while new queens overwinter to start the next.

By Kaiser Khan , Founder Last reviewed July 10, 2026 How we research & review

Key takeaway

Overview

Biology

Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is classified as Insect with conservation status Least Concern. Typical weight about 0.0003 kg; lifespan around Workers a few weeks; queens about a year.

Ecology

Diet: Herbivore (nectar and pollen). Habitat: Meadows, gardens, farmland, and woodland edges. Movement and social systems reflect those pressures.

People and this species

Learn before you travel or keep related pets. Wild individuals are not toys; captive care needs species-specific husbandry.

Colony life

Bumblebees live in small annual colonies that usually number a few dozen to a few hundred individuals, far fewer than a honey bee hive. A single queen starts the nest in spring, often underground in an old rodent burrow, and raises the first workers herself. As the season progresses, workers take over foraging and brood care while the queen focuses on laying eggs.

Diet and pollination

Bumblebees feed on nectar for energy and collect pollen as protein for their developing young. They are superb pollinators, partly because they can perform buzz pollination, vibrating their flight muscles to shake pollen loose from flowers such as tomatoes and blueberries. Their large, furry bodies pick up and carry pollen efficiently between plants.

Cold-weather flight

Unlike many insects, bumblebees can warm their flight muscles by shivering, letting them fly in cool, overcast conditions and early in the morning. This tolerance for cold allows them to thrive in temperate and even subarctic regions where other pollinators are less active. Their thick coat of hair also helps them retain heat.

Conservation

Most bumblebee species are still common, but several have declined sharply due to habitat loss, pesticide use, disease, and climate change. Because they pollinate many wild plants and crops, their decline is an ecological concern. Planting flowers that bloom across the season and reducing pesticide use help support local bumblebee populations.

Research notes

Figures for bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) come from field studies, museum records, and conservation assessments that do not always agree on exact averages. Prefer ranges over single-point claims, and check whether a source describes wild, captive, or mixed populations.

Practical takeaways

If you encounter bumblebees in the wild, prioritise distance and local guidance. If you care for related domestic or captive animals, match diet and housing to species needs rather than generic pet advice. Share accurate status information (Least Concern) when discussing conservation.

Sources

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