Bumblebees

Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow.  Mated female bumblebees overwinter in sheltered underground locations. In spring, they emerge and collect pollen upon which they lay eggs. The resulting new bees take over the work of collecting pollen and nectar and the hive increases. Although they are social insects, bumblebees are relatively docile and usually not a threat to people. They don’t make much honey as the colony, which may reach several hundred individuals, dies when winter comes. Since bumblebees are large bodied, they emerge and visit flowers when it is too cold for honeybees to be active and are important early pollinators. With habitat loss due to urbanization, these bees need our help. Leave some portions of your property unplanted so that bumble bees and other ground nesting bees can find places for their nesting sites. And plant redbuds – it’s an early food source for the important blueberry bumblebee.