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Yellow-banded Bumble Bee
Insects Active during the day

Yellow-banded Bumble Bee

Bombus terricola

iNaturalist Wikipedia

Meet the resilient Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, a master of the cold and a vital pollinator for northern gardens. With its striking black and gold stripes, this fuzzy visitor is a sign of a healthy, thriving ecosystem.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Queens: 19–21 mm (0.75–0.83 in); Workers: 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in); Males: 13–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in)

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Colors

Distinctive yellow bands on the second and third abdominal segments; predominantly black thorax with a yellow band across the front; the tip of the abdomen is typically black

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Key Features

  • Broad yellow band across abdominal segments 2 and 3
  • Black head and black rear-half of the abdomen
  • Yellow band on the anterior (front) part of the thorax
  • Short-tongued species with a robust, fuzzy build
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When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day
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Peak hours 9 AM - 5 PM
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Season May-September
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Diet A generalist forager that feeds on nectar and pollen from a wide variety of plants, including native wildflowers like goldenrod and aster, as well as crops like raspberries and cranberries.
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Habitat Cool temperate regions including deciduous forests, boreal forests, wetlands, and flower-rich suburban gardens.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee Live?

The Yellow-banded Bumble Bee is native to the northern regions of North America, spanning a vast area from the maritime provinces of Canada across to the eastern and midwestern United States. Its core range includes the Great Lakes region and New England, extending southward through the higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. While historically widespread, its population is now most concentrated in the northernmost parts of its range and higher altitude pockets where cooler climates prevail.

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2 Countries
4.5M km² Range
Vulnerable Conservation
CA Canada
4,642
US United States
2,739
Elevation range
0 m1,000 m2,000 m4,000 m
Sea level – 2,000 m
eco
iNaturalist / Verified observation data
7,409 observations
7,391 research grade
2 countries
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Behavior

The Yellow-banded Bumble Bee is a social insect with a sophisticated colony structure. Each spring, a solitary queen emerges from hibernation to find an underground nesting site, often repurposing abandoned rodent burrows or hollow logs. Once she produces her first batch of workers, the colony grows rapidly, with the queen shifting her focus entirely to egg-laying while the workers forage for the colony's survival.

These bees are exceptionally hardy and are known for their ability to regulate their internal temperature. By shivering their flight muscles, they can generate enough heat to fly in temperatures that would ground most other insects, making them one of the first pollinators seen in early spring. They are also known for 'nectar robbing,' a behavior where they use their short mouthparts to bite a hole in the base of a long flower to reach nectar they couldn't otherwise access.

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Camera Tips

To capture the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee on your backyard camera, focus your efforts on 'pollinator magnets.' Native plants such as Monarda (Bee Balm), Goldenrod, and Asters are irresistible to this species. Position your camera within 12 to 18 inches of the flower heads for a macro-style view. Since these bees move quickly, using a camera with a high-speed trigger or a video mode that allows you to extract still frames is essential.

Lighting is your best friend when filming insects. Place your camera in a spot that receives full morning sun. The bright light allows the camera to use a faster shutter speed, which is necessary to freeze the motion of their rapidly vibrating wings. Avoid placing the camera where it will be shaded by the plant itself, as this can lead to grainy or blurry footage.

Because the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee is most active in the late spring and summer, ensure your camera is deployed by early May to catch the queens emerging. To attract them specifically to a camera station, avoid using sugar water feeders which can spread disease; instead, provide a diverse array of native blooms that offer continuous nectar throughout the season. Keep the camera lens clean and free of pollen dust for the sharpest identification shots.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Yellow-banded Bumble Bee.

Rusty-patched Bumble Bee

Look for a small rusty-brown patch on the second abdominal segment, which is surrounded by yellow.

American Bumble Bee

Has a yellow thorax with a central black spot and yellow on the first three abdominal segments.

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Only has one yellow band on the first abdominal segment, whereas the Yellow-banded has two bands on segments 2 and 3.

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Frequently Asked Questions

They are most active during the daylight hours, typically from mid-morning to late afternoon. However, because they can regulate their body temperature, they are often seen earlier in the morning and later in the evening than other bee species, especially during cool spring weather.
Planting native wildflowers is the best strategy. They are particularly fond of Bee Balm, Goldenrod, Asters, and various fruit blossoms like raspberries or blueberries. Providing undisturbed areas for nesting, such as brush piles or leaving old rodent burrows, also helps.
They eat nectar for energy and collect pollen to feed their larvae. They are generalists, meaning they forage from a wide variety of flowers, though they are particularly adept at pollinating crops like potatoes, alfalfa, and cranberries.
While they were once very common, their populations have declined. They can still be found in suburban gardens, especially those that border woodlands or use fewer pesticides and prioritize native plantings.
The Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (B. terricola) has yellow only on abdominal segments 2 and 3, and usually has a yellow band on the front of its thorax. The American Bumble Bee (B. pensylvanicus) typically has yellow on the first three segments and a much larger yellow area on the thorax with a black spot in the middle.

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