Polar Bumble Bee

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bombus polaris: /ˈbɒmbʊs pəˈlɑrɪs/

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Summary

Bombus polaris, also known as the Polar Bumble Bee, is a social bumblebee species that thrives in Arctic conditions due to its unique adaptations like thermoregulation and insulated nesting habits. It has a limited life cycle and is a critical pollinator in its environment.

Physical Characteristics

Thicker coat of hair than temperate bees; typically black thorax with orange-yellow edges; orange-yellow abdomen with a black tip; variable pubescence color; size ranges from 10 mm to larger.

Identification Tips

Look for the thick coat of hair and the orange-yellow coloration on the abdomen and edges of the thorax; note the variability in size and color of workers.

Habitat

High arctic tundra, at the summits of mountains in polar and alpine regions.

Distribution

Circumpolar distribution including Arctic Alaska, Arctic islands (Devon Island, Ellesmere Island, Baffin Island, and Greenland), northern Scandinavia, and Arctic Russia (Nenets, Yamalo-Nenets, Sakha, and Chukotka).

Diet

Feeds primarily on nectar and pollen from flowers, particularly large zygomorphic flowers of Pedicularis.

Life Cycle

A colony cycle is completed in a short period due to the harsh conditions, typically lasting two to three months before winter.

Reproduction

Colony initiated by a fertilized queen that hibernates for about nine months; she lays eggs into a food clump made of nectar and pollen.

Predators

Buff-breasted sandpiper, common eider, long-tailed duck.

Conservation Status

Not listed as endangered; common as of 2015.

Ecosystem Role

Important pollinator of Arctic flora; interacts with other pollinators and plant species.

Similar Taxa

• Bombus hyperboreus
• Bombus alpinus
• Bombus balteatus
• Bombus neoboreus

Tags

• Pollinator
• Arctic
• Bumblebee
• Bombus