What plants do rusty patched bumble bees eat?

Wild blue lupine (Lupinus perennis), a good early season nectar source for rusty patched bumble bees. Bumble bees use nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowering plant species. They typically forage within 0.6 miles of their nest.

What plants help bumblebees?

Top 25 Native Plants For Bumblebees

Agastache (Hyssop) — Plant small flowered species, such as A. foeniculatum, A. neomexicana, ‘Blue Blazes’, and others.
Asclepias (Butterfly Weed)
Baptisia (False Indigo)
Ceonothus (Wild Lilac)
Cercis (Red Bud tree)
Cirsium (native Thistles)
Clethra (Summersweet)
Dalea (Prairie Clover)

Is the rusty patched bumble bee a keystone species?

The rusty patched bumblebee, Bombus affinis, is a keystone species in grasslands and tallgrass prairies in the Upper Midwest and Northeast of the US and is known for their workers and males donning a rusty, reddish patch on their back (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service [FWS], 2017).

What are rusty patched bumble bee predators?

Foxes, minks, weasels, bears, field mice and shrews are also predators. In Iceland the mink is the major predator. However there is no mammal that specialises in bumblebee predation.

How do you treat a rusty patched bumblebee?

Here’s how you can get involved:

Make a donation. Support our pollinator conservation efforts in Wisconsin.
Provide habitat.
Provide a pesticide- and disease-free environment.
Report findings.
Learn more.
Join us in the field!

What are bumblebees attracted to?

Long-tongued bumblebees are attracted to flowers with hidden nectar spurs, such as larkspur, monkshood, monarda, columbine and snapdragons. Avoid using pesticides: Many pesticides — even organic ones — are toxic to bees and other pollinators.

What is the most endangered bee?

Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the rusty patched bumble bee as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Endangered species are animals and plants that are in danger of becoming extinct.

What animal preys on bees?

The most common predators faced by honey bees are skunks, bears and hive beetles. Skunks are insectivores, and when they discover a hive, they often return every night to attack the hive and eat large quantities of bees.

How do you know if a bee is dying or tired?

An exhausted bee, however, will appear lethargic and will probably be far away from any flowers. It is important to note that she could be only resting or actually dying. Bees don’t live very long, and if she looks old or is clinging to a flower, sadly these steps won’t resurrect her.

What does a rusty patched bumblebee look like?

Rusty patched bumble bee queens are entirely yellow on the first two abdominal segments and the rest of the abdominal segments are black. The rusty patch, which is an area of rust-colored hairs, is on the front of the second abdominal segment with yellow hairs on the sides and towards the back of the segment.