Do the big black and yellow bumble bees sting?

It is only if people get too close to their nest or threaten them when bumble bees will sting. Bumble bees do not die after stinging, as do some other stinging insects. Towards late summer, the queen will start to produce drones and young queens. The young queens are fertilized by the drones, then fly off to hibernate. read more

Bumble bee colonies are organized around a queen bee, who can also sting, drones (male bees) and worker bees. Worker bees are sterile females, and are able to sting because the ovipositor has evolved into a stinger. read more

Black bumblebee is likely a colloquial name that is incorrectly used to describe carpenter bees, black wasps or perhaps the black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus) that occurs in the humid areas of the Pacific Northwest. Do Not Disturb Bumblebees, unlike yellow jackets and hornets, are not overly aggressive stinging insects. read more

Bumble bees have a fuzzy abdomen and the Carpenter Bee has a shiny abdomen. General Bumble Bee Information The "Bumble Bee" is a big, hairy, black and yellow bee whose size can range from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch. This insect is often mistaken for a carpenter bee, which closely resembles the bumble bee in appearance. read more