Difference between bee and bumblebee.

The bee and the bumblebee are united by their belonging to the Hymenoptera. But, having a biological similarity, insects also do not resemble each other in many ways. So, what is the difference between a bee and a bumblebee?

General characteristics

Bee

Related wasps and to ants, bees are flying insects, common on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. Their food is nectar and pollen - sources of energy and nutrients. The proboscis helps insects to get nectar. They also have segmented tendrils. Of the two pairs of existing wings, the hind ones are smaller. Bees are irreplaceable plant pollinators.

Bee

Bumblebee

The bumblebee is not just close to honey bees, but also belongs to the family of real bees. It has a great tolerance for cold due to its ability to warm up, often contracting muscles. The insect can fly out early in the morning, without waiting for the air to warm up.

Bumblebee

Comparison

There are several signs that distinguish a bee from a bumblebee.

Appearance

The bumblebee is noticeably the largest of the honey bee. It owes its size in many respects to the thick long hairs that cover the body of the insect and form furry. External differences are also expressed in the color of both representatives - in the bee it is less intense.

Dwelling

Bees, whose families are much larger than bumblebees, most often prefer to settle in tree hollows or live in hives (domestic representatives). At the same time, they work to build cells of the correct shape.

Bumblebees often settle in the ground, litter. They can make an abandoned mink of a rodent or a bird's nest in the bushes as their refuge. The cells in bumblebee shelters are not characterized by order and symmetry, in contrast to the honeycomb.

Composition and quality of honey

Both types of insects produce honey. However, the bee product is thicker and keeps well. At the same time, liquid bumblebee honey, more saturated with sucrose, proteins and minerals, begins to ferment already at a temperature slightly above zero degrees. This is one of the reasons why bumblebee honey is practically not used as a commercial one.

Winter period

Continuing the conversation about the difference between a bee and a bumblebee, it should be noted that by winter the bulk of the bumblebees die. Only fertilized females remain, who are to spend the winter in a daze.

As for bees, their vital activity does not stop with the onset of frost, although during this period there is a slowdown in some processes in the body of insects. For the winter, tireless workers plug up the cracks in their homes to protect themselves from the cold and precipitation.

Table

Bee Bumblebee
SmallerLarger
PalerBrighter
Large familyThere are fewer individuals in the family
Builds the correct honeycombThere is no ordering and symmetry of the cells
Honey is well storedHoney is poorly stored
Does not die in winterBy winter, all individuals die, except females
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