Bumble bees symbolize prosperity
They are nature’s quiet powerhouses, small in number yet mighty in purpose. While honey bees often take center stage, bumble bees are just as vital. Using a method known as buzz pollination, they vibrate their flight muscles to shake pollen loose, making them twice as efficient at pollinating as honey bees.Their colonies are modest, usually around 200 bees, but their impact ripples far beyond the hive.
Across North America, there are 45 species of bumble bees. Today, one in three is in decline, affected by habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.Still, there is reason for hope. Minnesota alone is home to 23 of those 45 species, serving as a vital refuge and a call to conservation action.
Despite their hardworking nature, bumble bees are surprisingly gentle. Males cannot sting, and females only do so when they feel threatened. They are not aggressive, they are focused, patient, and purposeful. In a striking example of their intelligence, bees in Croatia are being trained to detect buried land mines, guided by their acute sense of smell.
Their role extends far beyond the garden into the realm of healing and human safety.
In 2017, the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee became the first bee species in the United States to be listed as endangered. Its protection sparked a deeper awareness of the delicate balance between wild spaces and the creatures that support them.
Bumble bees carry more than pollen.
They carry the promise of blossoms, harvests, and renewal.
They carry the future of ecosystems, wrapped in wings of velvet and purpose.
This is not just a story of what we stand to lose, it’s a story of what we still have time to protect.
Please watch the free film “A Ghost in the Making - In Search of the Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee" to learn more.
A fun and fascinating watching Bonus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6hGjh9SJ_M