What exactly are Bumble Bees?

[Velvetee]

1) What exactly are Bumble Bees?
2) Are they at all related to regular bees or are they a species on their own?
3) How come we rarely see many, in comparison to wasps or bees?
4) Do they sting?
5) Where does a Bumble Bee live, I've never heard of a Bumble Bee hive before?

Does anyone know?

[Buenchico]

1 & 2) They're a completely different species. To be more precise, they're a different genus, since there are over a dozen species of bumble bee in the UK. (The honey bee is Apis mellifera. Bumble bees are of the genus Bombus, e.g. Bombus terrestris, Bombus pratorum, etc).

3) Smaller colonies, fewer eggs, etc. Also they're not 'farmed' by man, in the way that the honey bee is.

4) Yes but, like all bees, not readily.

5) The colonies form nests at the base of hedgerows, or in deserted rodent nests etc.

Largely derived from here:
http://www.bumblebee.org/
and here:
http://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk/in dex.htm

Chris

[Velvetee]

Thanks for that.

[gen2]

A little more information about point 4.

a) I can vouch for the fact that bumble bees sting as I was stung by one just 6 months ago. I was dead-heading a Buddleia after a period of rain. I took the secateurs in my right hand and grasped the dead flower heads in my left. Unfortunately (for me) there was a waterlogged bumblebee on the underside that took exception to being suddenly grasped ihn this manner.

b) Not all bumble bees sting. The males (drones) do NOT sting. In this part of Scotland (Fife) such bumblebees are called 'Canny Annies'. Some boys (used to) pride themselves in being able to identify these and capture them in their hands to show off to girls (or their mates).

[Velvetee]

I think I'd shriek if a boy came up to me, opened his hands and showed me some biground hairy thing!

[naky-nag-nat]

^^^ pmsl