How Are a Bumblebee & a Honeybee Different?

Bees of all types are important pollinators.

Bees belong to the hymenoptera order of insects. Of the more than 20,000 known species of bees, only 5 percent are social bees. Honeybees and bumblebees are the most common social bees. Social bees most often dwell in large colonies thereby posing a potential stinging threat.

Genus

Bumblebees are bigger than honeybees.

Honeybees are of the apis mellifera genus. Bumblebees are of the bombus genus.

Physical Characteristics

Honeybees love bright flowers.

Full-grown, honeybees are approximately ½ inch long. Honeybees have a dark brown head and thorax, and they have stocky bodies that are covered in pale, yellow hair. Bumblebees are ¾ to 1 ½ inches in length and are usually yellow and black.

Colony Size

Honeybee colonies grow large.

Honeybee colonies are larger than bumblebees and may have up to 60,000 bees. Bumblebee colonies may have 200 bees.

Nest

People keep honeybees in hives.

Honeybees build a large nest, or hive. The hive consists of several wax combs for the young (brood) and storage of pollen and nectar. Bumblebees may live on the surface, underground or under debris. Some bumblebees nest in loose fibrous material like mouse nests, insulation or grass clippings.

Defenses

Honeybees will swarm when they feel that the nest is threatened. The stinger of the honeybee is barbed and only stings once and dies. Bumblebee stingers are smooth so they can sting many times. The male bumblebee drones do not have stingers.

References

• Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service: Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, Carpenter Bees and Sweat Bees
• Bee Spotter: Bumble Bees