Bombus Impatiens
Bumblebees are important agricultural pollinators that belong to the Apidae bee family. Bumblebees collect pollen by stuffing it between the hairy receptacles on their hind legs. They feed on nectar and pollen, using their long hairy tongues to lap up the liquid - they gather the nectar to add to the stores in their nest and the pollen to feed their young. They forage using color and spatial relationships to identify flowers to feed from.
Mode of Action
- Buzz pollination or sonication is a method used by bumblebees, to release pollen which is firmly held by the anthers of a flower. To release the pollen, bumblebees latch onto the flower and move their flight muscles vigorously causing the flower and anthers to vibrate, releasing the pollen.
Key Features
- Increased yield, better fruit set, uniform fruit weight and size and reduced deficit
- Bumblebees remain active on cooler and cloudy days even in light rain or wind
- Bumblebees focus on the targeted crop
- Bumblebees pollinate more flowers per minute than honeybees; they work longer, from dawn to dusk
- Bumblebees complement honeybee pollination. Research shows that when bumblebees are around, honeybees become more efficient at collecting pollen
Storage
- If hives must be stored, they should be stored in a cool area 55-59˚F (13-15˚C)
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