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Two-thirds of the world’s crop species depend on animals for their survival. These creatures carry pollen between the female and male parts of the flower. Among the creatures we need for production are butterflies, birds and bats. But the most important pollinator in our ecosystems is a unique insect that we spend more time fleeing from.
Bumblebee
With short, acrylic-like wings and bulging, fluffy, multicolored bodies, bumblebees float in the air, their wings flapping at an alarming rate of 130 times per second. The insect is circling around us, as if looking for an excuse to attack.
Larger than normal bees, bumblebees do not process honey like their cousins.
Population is critical to pollination. Otherwise, our crops will die.
Dimensions (edit)
There are nearly 300 species of bumblebees and they come in a wide variety of sizes. The biggest queen Bombus dahlbomii.
Located in the southern temperate forests of South America, this queen can grow up to 1.6 inches in length. This is almost four times that of the largest bumblebee in the States (where the queen can reach 0.9). The largest bumblebees in the world live in Chile and Argentina.
Worker bees are always smaller than the queen.
Habitat
Bumblebees often nest near the surface of the earth. They build houses from dead leaves, piles of wood and compost. These bees also use hollow logs and mounds of grass. The creatures even took refuge in abandoned rodent tunnels. But you can also find bumblebees in empty bird nests and birdhouses.
What does a bumblebee do
Bumblebees are the builders of the pollinator world. And they are masters at it. When an insect lands on a plant, the rapid flapping of its wings and bodies creates vibration in the flower. This, in turn, prompts the flower to release pollen.
We call this process pollination. This process helps the plant to produce more fruit.
5 facts about bumblebee
The bumblebee can easily be mistaken for a predatory bite-seeking creature. This is not true. Here are some more interesting facts about bumblebees.
1. Only new queens survive the colder months.
Colonies die in late fall, while newborn queens hibernate in fall and winter. Queens wake up in the spring and lay their eggs to create a new colony.
2. Bumblebees are social creatures that live in communities.
The vast majority of bee species do not actually form hives or chase queens. Usually they are solitary creatures. We tend to think that all bees form communities because of the honey bee. Honey bees and bumblebees are rare species that create hives for shelter and family.
3. Bumblebees are big business!
Bumblebees are a commercial product. They support healthy ecosystems as pollinators, and without them, many food markets are likely to be at risk. Professionally managed hives are a huge business as there is a great demand for bumblebees to pollinate various agricultural environments.
4. Bumblebees keep it hot
The size of the insects gives off heat. Thus, unlike honey bees, bumblebees can hatch during cooler periods of the day and get to work. They can also climb to great heights.
5. Extinction of bumblebees
Some species in this family are rapidly declining, while the status of many others is questionable. Over the past few years, yellow-streaked bumblebees, westerns and Franklin’s bumblebees have largely disappeared. The rusty look is now officially endangered. Nearly a third of bumblebees in North America are declining.
Like many other endangered animals, bumblebees face pesticides, habitat loss, climate change and disease. All this is the result of human intervention in natural ecosystems.
You can help
If we work outdoors, even in our small gardens, we can keep the bumblebees alive.
Provide nekor and pollen
Between early spring and late autumn, bumblebees need flowers that produce pollen and nectar. These resources are vital food for adult bees and their larvae. We need plants that grow in specific ecosystems, regions and habitats that have not been tampered with or involved in. These plants developed along with the local bees.
If you’re planting native plants to bloom in the spring, summer, and fall, bumblebees have three seasons to eat.
Give bumblebees nesting opportunities
Bumblebees nest in underground pits, abandoned rodent tunnels, empty bird nests and birdhouses, compost heaps, hollow logs, mounds of grass and rocks. If you have them, leave them intact.
Protecting the habitat from hibernation
Queens hibernate underground and in small burrows. Your raking, mowing and tiling eliminates the next generation. Postpone these steps until early spring. Set the mower blades to a high, safe level. Leave the leaves where they fall. Natural mulch is the perfect home for pollinators like bumblebees.
Give up pesticides
Stay away from herbicides and insecticides. Avoid systemic substances such as neonicotinoids, which penetrate the vascular systems of plants. As a result of prolonged filtration, pollinators are exposed to the poison for a long time after you have applied the product.
Burning
Bumblebee bites are rare. They are frivolous and peaceful, and are much more interested in pollination than in wrestling.
Males or drones will not sting. They have no stings. Only females. But they will not attack unless their hive is in danger or they feel threatened.
The bite is not the same as that of a bee. The bumblebee sting has no notch. This means that the bumblebee does not separate. He can pull out the sting. Thus, if a bee stings only once, the bumblebee can sting several times.
What happens after a bumblebee bite?
The poison of the sting contains elements that have a direct effect on the blood vessels. Typically, the reaction is redness, severe itching, and painful swelling. If the bite occurs on looser skin, swelling may be present.
In most cases, systems tend to go out soon or only work for a couple of days.
A bite in the throat or in the mouth is a serious matter. The swelling c
an
lead to suffocation.
Allergic reactions
While this is extremely rare, some people may react poorly to bumblebee venom. This is often associated with IgE antibodies. These compounds are the defenders of the immune system. It is usually found in a small amount of blood, but a larger amount may be a sign of an overreaction to allergens.
People with saturated IgE may show negative reactions. At the first bite, there may be no reaction. This is due to the unlikely presence of antibodies before the first bite. But the next bite is likely to trigger a reaction.
The impact can be significant. Whole limbs are affected under certain circumstances. Symptoms include itching and hives. Sometimes there is swelling of the neck and face, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, confusion, and trembling.
Allergic reactions to bumblebee stings worsen with each bite.
There are medications such as beta blockers, aspirin, or ACE inhibitors that can worsen the response to a bumblebee sting. Other threats include alcohol consumption and extensive physical activity. Anyone with an increased likelihood of being bitten by a bumblebee should avoid these things. They should also be tested to find out their IgE level.
Cross reactions
The bumblebee and the bee have similarities in protein structure. Thus, people are more likely to be allergic to both bites. The medical community calls this condition a cross-reaction.
Ways to avoid bumblebee bites
Bumblebees are peaceful creatures. They float, but don’t actually do any harm until they feel provoked. Here are ways to prevent a bite.
- Don’t be aggressive around bumblebees
- Avoid disturbing bumblebees
- Don’t hit the bumblebee flying around you
- Manage bumblebee hives correctly
- Don’t hit the hives
- Stay away from fragrant odors
Ways to deal with bites
Here are a few things you can do to prevent and control potential bites.
- Hanging Notification Alerts for People Who May Have Allergies
- Keep antihistamines for anyone stung
- Keep epinephrine injectors or epinephrine ampoules within reach
- If necessary, know the nearest doctor or hospital.
Care
While this is easier said than done, if there is an allergic reaction, remain calm. Panic only makes the situation worse. Get to the nearest medical facility as soon as possible.
Explain what happened and tell the doctors if you feel dizzy or feel other abnormalities. Most reactions are often treated with antihistamines, epinephrine, or corticosteroids. If there is a respiratory problem, they can give an epinephrine injection or an epinephrine inhaler.
If cardiovascular problems are caused by the bite, get it to the hospital as soon as possible.
Desensitization
Common allergic reactions to bumblebee stings are treatable with a desensitizing medication. This is a special process that shows the body how to gradually get used to bumblebee venom. Tolerance training requires a unique set of procedures available only in special centers. To find it, you should consult your doctor.
Next: How long do butterflies live?
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