One of my favorite insects to photograph are bumblebees. Here are just a few photographs from a session with these pollinators visiting black-eyes Susans in one of the flower gardens as well as some information about them.
A bumblebee visiting a black-eyed Susan growing in the garden.
There are over 250 known species of bumblebees, 49 of which can be found in the United States.
Bumblebees are important pollinators in most parts of North America.
Bumblebees are social insects that form colonies around a single queen.
During the summer, the queen will produce a few generations of worker bees that take over the task of collecting nectar and pollen.
Even though they are capable of stinging, most bumblebees do not sting unless provoked. Stingers are not barbed and are used several times.
The black-eyed Susan is a North American plant in the sunflower family.
They have rounded bodies that are covered in soft fur called pile, giving them a fuzzy-like appearance.
Nesting areas will vary between bumblebee species. Most prefer dry and dark cavities and will nest in the ground, abandoned by rodents, or in piles of leaves and loose grass clippings.
Bumblebees are important pollinators for many species of wildflowers, including the black-eyed Susan.
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