Bumble Bees

Bumble bees are important pollinators of wild flowering plants and crops. As generalist foragers, they do not depend on any one flower type.

However, some plants do rely on bumble bees to achieve pollination. Loss of bumble bees can have far ranging ecological impacts due to their role as pollinators.

Bumble bees perform a behavior called “buzz pollination,” in which the bee grabs the pollen producing structure of the flower in her jaws and vibrates her wings. This causes vibrations that dislodge pollen that would have otherwise remained trapped in the flower’s anthers.

Some plants⁠—including tomatoes, peppers, and cranberries⁠—benefit significantly from buzz pollination.