nature, Photography

Busy Bees

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I saw this huge bumblebee searching for nectar in a rhododendron bloom. I had never seen one this large before; it was at least 20mm (0.8 inch) if not more. I wondered how it could possibly fly with that bulky, very heavy body. Although bees do not fly in defiance of the rules of aviation, it sure can seem like it!

After some research, I found that this is a Nevada bumblebee; it is common from Alaska and British Columbia to as far south as California and as far west as New Mexico.

Here is a picture of a more average-sized bumble bee; it was foraging next to the huge Nevada bumblebee and looked like a mini-cooper next to a semi-truck! I’m much more used to seeing these smaller ones, but whether large, small, honeybee or bumblebee, they are extremely important to the heath and welfare of so many of Earth’s plants.

Vive les abeilles! 🐝

32 thoughts on “Busy Bees”

    1. I was amazed, Maggie. It was so big and yes, with little wee wings! It looked like it could barely stay aloft and I could hear it land, too. Definitely a hulk! Yes, a comparison of the plant parts really shows the difference between the two.

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  4. Holy C—. That is a big bee. Glad that bumble and honeybees are around. Wasps and hornets not so much. We had a similar amazement many years back when we first saw a gigantic wasp (3 times normal wasp size) near Nordegg. We were told it was a deer wasp and that its sting was capable of killing. Never seen one since but this one sounded like a helicopter on approach. Glad the pollinators are around. Happy Saturday Lynette. Allan

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    1. Thanks, Allan. It’s great that bees are interested in plants, not people, and unless they get irritated by interference I don’t get concerned at all about them. Wasps and hornets are a different matter altogether though. I’ve heard of deer wasps before but I’ve never seen one. I don’t think I knew that they can kill, either! Wow! But yes, we need our pollinators or we will be in very tough shape.

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    1. Yes, this one was the dump truck of the bee world! I was amazed that it was able to fly with those teeny wings!
      I remember seeing many, many bees (more volume than I had seen in a long time) last summer when we visited Haida Gwaii. It was so great to see that there are still places where they’re thriving.

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  10. That sent me on a quest to discover the largest bumblebee species. Apparently a strong contender is Bombus dahlbomii from South America, which is sometimes called a ‘flying mouse’!

    Does your deer wasp have another name? Not heard of that.

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    1. Thank you very much, Adele. I looked up the Bombus dahlbomii and can see why it’s called a “flying mouse!” It’s huge!

      Given your question about the deer wasp I did some poking around the internet and have come to the conclusion that the so-called deer wasp (I realise now that this is a local name) and the invasive German or European wasp are probably the same insect. Here’s an American website about it but it’s the best one I’ve found for specifics about this type of wasp: https://extension.psu.edu/german-yellowjackets/

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  12. We usually have plenty of bees in the crocuces first thing in the spring, but I sure didn’t hear as many as last year. Loads of song birds, though. I wonder if the bee guy down the road didn’t have his hives open as usual? When our hedge is flowering the garden is literally alive with sound from the hundreds of bees. I’ve never seen one the size of this one you captured.

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    1. It’s so good to hear Bernie that they come in big numbers to visit your hedge. I saw lots of bees while visiting Haida Gwaii last summer but when I see loads of rhododendrons and other flowers and only a few bees, I get concerned. Yes, that huge bee was a big surprise! Cheers.

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    1. Thank you very much, Linda. The Rose of Sharons are so beautiful and yes, should keep the bees busy! The Nevada bumblebee is definitely massive. It was unbelievable that it could fly with those relatively tiny wings!

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