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Index of Subjects Jim: Large bumble bees now (early June) will be queens. Therefore each one is likely to have her own colony. Many of these are likely to be _Bombus impatiens_. This species was unknown in NS until about 1990. Since then it has become the most common species in cities and most towns. Yes, despite the press, this is a species of bee that has increased in geographic range and population in NS. The first workers (all females) should be out in the next 10 days or perhaps some are out now. They are much smaller, less than half the size of queens. These female workers will forage, defend the nest and expand the nest. The next generation of workers will be a little larger and by late August the females produced will be the size of the large queens you are seeing now. DBMcC On Sun, Jun 3, 2012 at 3:53 PM, James W. Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca> wrote: > JUNE 2, 2012 - At the Wolfville public library, I sat on a bench for lunch > in a lovely spot surrounded by rhododendrons loaded with pink blossoms, and > several noisy, huge, yellow-and-black bumblebees were feeding there (on both > pollen and nectar?). The bumblebees sounded dangerous but were very easily > approached and watched to very close distances (several cm.). > > I'm wondering (a) what species of bumblebee?, and (b) would these bumblebees > seen be members of a single colony?, or (c) is it still early enough in the > Summer that they would all be overwintered queens that are raising their > first broods in hidden nests somewhere? > > Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.
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