Bumble bees are members of the Apidae family which includes bumble bees, honey bees, carpenter bees, and orchid bees. The Eastern Common Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) is a bee species that is endemic to the Eastern United States and a common site in parks, gardens, and meadows.
Bumble bee workers are the most commonly seen members of the colony above ground, but below ground there is a complex world where the majority of the colony’s activity takes place. Underground, the queen builds her colony, nurses tend to the larvae, workers build and maintain structures, and new queens grow to continue the next generation.
A goal of this project is to take a glimpse into the inner workings of the colony and understand behaviors that are occur below ground. This project is a collaboration with the Woodard Lab at the University of California, Riverside as part of their efforts to educate the public about the amazing lives of these complex creatures.
