Hills & Heights
Critters of the Week
A wild critter we spotted in the RVA area and a critter up for adoption by SPCA or RACC.
Where Spotted: Reedy Creek, Maymont
Common Name: Common Eastern Bumblebee
Scientific Name: Bombus impatiens
Average Length: 0.35 in to 0.82 in (9 mm – 21 mm)
Quick Facts (iNaturalist)
- The common eastern bumble bee can be found throughout the east coast from Maine to Florida and west through Ohio.
- They have underground nests that are 1–3 feet below the ground surface.
- Unlike the nests of honeybees or paper wasps, the nests do not have a predictable pattern. The bees lay egg clumps all over inside the nest instead of having one brood area around which the workers’ distribution center is arranged.
- Colonies use a strategy called traplining, in which the bees visit their food sources in a repeatable sequence, to improve their efficiency, especially in an unfamiliar environment.
- To create honey, the bees consume the pollen and the nectar, and then regurgitate them, mixing them with enzymes in their stomachs. The honey is stored and used as a winter food source.
Mona Lisa at RACC
Primary Color: Black
Secondary Color: White
Weight: 8.6
Age: 2yrs 3mths 1wks
Sex: Female
Pet ID: 68720
Please note that the adoptable critter we’ve selected was available when we created the post the animal might not be available when you go to the facility.
