Unbee - lievable!
Unbee-lievable Facts about Bumblebees
- The word ‘bumblebee’ is a compound word (bumble + bee). The word ‘bumble’ means to hum, buzz, or drone.
- Bumblebees can fly very quickly. They can reach ground speeds of 54 kilometres per hour (km/h).
- Bumblebees are very strong! They carry up to 90 percent of their body weight in food with them to avoid starvation.
- Bumblebees can do more work and carry more pollen than other bees, including honeybees. In fact, they can do up to 50 times as much work as a normal honeybee.
- The number of bumblebees is declining in New Zealand due to a number of factors, including the removal of wildflowers and flowering trees, habitat loss, and extensive use of pesticides.
Hi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteLeslie here, reading your blog from Canada where there are no flowering plants at the moment. They're all buried in snow!! I'm a member of the Summer Learning Journey team and I'm enjoying reading your blog.
You've done a super job answering the questions about bumblebees. Have you noticed bumblebees in your neighbourhood this summer? I have a friend who lives in Kohimarama, another neighbourhood in Auckland, and he was excited one day when he spotted a bumblebee in his garden. He told us that he rarely sees them anymore and is very concerned about this because they're important pollinators.
I hope you have lots of opportunities to get out to enjoy some of the beautiful gardens that are around the city. Do you have a garden where you live?
I have a wildflower and perennial garden around my home and I love it. It's such a lift each day to see beautiful things growing!!
Keep up your good work and I'll continue to ready your blog.
Cheers,
Leslie