Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens, the common eastern bumblebee, is the most commonly encountered bumblebee across much of eastern North America. They can be found in the Eastern temperate forest region of the eastern United States, southern Canada, and the eastern Great Plains. Because of their great adaptability, they can live in country, suburbs, and even urban cities. This adaptability makes them a great pollinator species, leading to an increase in their commercial use by the greenhouse industry. This increase consequently led to their farther spread outside their previous distribution range. They are considered one of the most important species of pollinator bees in North America. Scientific Name: Bombus impatiens Range: Eastern & central North America Size: Workers 9–14 mm; queens 17–23 mm Status: Beneficial ID Notes: Fuzzy black body with yellow thoracic band and yellow on first abdominal segment. Rest of abdomen black. Behavior / Notes: Most common bumble bee in eastern U.S. Important pollinator of tomato, blueberry, cranberry — only bee in N. America commercially raised for greenhouse pollination.