I was walking from the gym and was in between Douglas and Stevenson when I saw a bumblebee. The poor little guy was actually walking along the sidewalk trying to fly but failing. It was only later that I found out that he needed sugar water, and he was tired. At the time I did not know this, so I watched him for a bit and continued my walk to my room. I knew he was a kind of bumblebee, but I did not know what species. His thorax was yellow, and his abdomen was black except for one yellow stripe. I knew these would be defining features. I googled bumblebees, and I found out that he was a Common Eastern Bumblebee. They are active from the months of May-November and have a queen bee as well as drones. Bumblebees are excellent pollinators because their hair traps pollen. Interestingly, the Common Eastern Bumblebee is such a good pollinator that they are being introduced in the western U.S. and overseas to pollinate crops. I find this program intriguing. Logically, it’s smart to bring in good pollinators to pollinate crops, but it would be too easy for Common Eastern Bumblebees to become an invasive species in those areas.
Sources:
The National Wildlife Federation
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Common-Eastern-Bumblebee
Bug Guide