March 22, 2009 - Bumblebee Buzz

Welcome to the Nature Notebook.

The sound is just as likely to alert you to its presence as is the movement.  Although bumblebees might not be the first insect of the year that you see, they are most likely the first you hear. These large-bodied, black and yellow bees are easy to spot. The queen is the sole survivor of her colony and is active this time of year searching for a nest site. Flying slowly and with a definite purpose, she looks for a place to lay her eggs and start a new colony. The dense hair that covers much of her body allows the bumblebee to fly in colder conditions than most other insects. Native bumblebees are pollinators and will become more active as spring wildflowers bloom. For now these noisy fliers are a sure sign that spring is here.

This is PPL's naturalist, Jon Beam, with the Nature Notebook for WVIA.