Home > Honeybees & Bumblebees

Honeybees and bumblebees are aptly named, which will make distinguishing them a breeze. Let’s get the taxonomy out of the way first. Although the various bumblebee and honeybee species both belong to the Apidae family, bumblebees belong to the Bombus genus and honeybees to Apis [1]. While there are only 11 species in the genus Apis, there are over 250 species in the genus Bombus. One of the easiest ways to differentiate these two pollinators is to look at their morphology. Honeybees (fig. 1) are smaller and thinner than the rounder and fuzzier bumblebees (fig. 2). 

Honeybees & Bumblebees

(fig. 1) Honeybee

(fig. 2) Bumblebee

In addition to their morphology, you can differentiate these pollinators by their sound. Bumblebees are known for their loud buzzing sound which is the result of the bee vibrating its wings and thorax to shake the pollen from a flower’s anthers and onto the bee’s body [2]. This action and resulting sound is what gave the bumblebees genus it name. Bombus comes from Ancient Greek βόμβος (bómbos) meaning “buzz” or “hum” [3]. Bumblebees are also better pollinators due to their bodies being larger (assists in carrying pollen) and more species having greater variation in tongue lengths (increases number of flowers they can feed from). However, honeybees are prolific honey makers. Honeybees are domesticated in hives so their honey can be used for human consumption. Bumblebees make less honey due to the fact that they hibernate in the winter. Honeybees don’t hibernate and thus need to produce more honey to last them through the winter months when pollen is scarce.

(fig. 3) Bumblebee using tongue to reach nectar

The domestication of honeybees and the extreme mismanagement of practices using honeybees has caused a worldwide phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). During the winter of 2006-2007, some beekeepers began to report unusually high losses of 30-90% of their hives [4]. In the US and Europe alone, the total bee population dropped by between 30-40%. Apply that percentage to the then 72.6 million managed bee colonies worldwide and your result is a staggering loss of life. The use of pesticides and stress are leading cause of CCD. Honeybees are transported to multiple locations, one after another, across the country to preform pollination services [5]. U.S. farmers alone spent roughly $320 million on these pollination services in 2017, not to mention that honey production, importing and packing contributed about $4.7 billion in total sales in the same year in the United States [6]. Being transported year round from apple orchard, to cranberry bog, to watermelon farms, etc. never allows time for the honeybees to rest as they normally would during the winder months. Combine these global practices with poisonous pesticides and you weaken the immune systems of honeybees enough to be vulnerable to a plethora of diseases (such as Israeli Acute Paralysis virus and the gut parasite Nosema) and infestation (from the invasive Varroa and Acarapis mites). Although there are systems being put in place to attempt to correct these issues, you can help do your part to support the health of local bee populations. Planting pesticide-free pollinator gardens in your home, supporting local beekeepers, providing water/bee baths and doing additional research are just a few examples of what you can do on your own.

Here are a few resources you might find helpful in kickstarting your support:

There is far more to learn about these beautifully intricate creatures, but I hope this article helps sparks interest in and passion for the world around us. Oh, and see if you can make someone smile today (even if that “someone” is you).

-Noah

References & Acknowledgements:

  1. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. (n.d.)., from https://www.itis.gov/

  2. Why do bees buzz? Scientific American., from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-bees-buzz/

  3. Bumblebee. Wikipedia., from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee

  4. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Colony Collapse Disorder. EPA., from https://www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/colony-collapse-disorder

  5. Jennifer K. Bond, C. H. (2021, June). Honey bees on the move: From pollination to honey production and back. USDA ERS., from https://ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=101475

  6. Matthews, W. A., Summer, D. A., & Hanon, T. (n.d.). (rep.). Contributions of the U.S. Honey Industry to the U.S. Economy. National Honey Board.

All photographs are taken and owned by Noah Hilton