Species Insects & ArthropodsCommon Eastern Bumble Bee

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens)
Safety note: Bumble bees sting when threatened — observe, don't handle.

The Common Eastern Bumble Bee is the most widespread bumble bee in eastern North America. A cornerstone pollinator of both native wildflowers and agricultural crops — vital to ecosystems and food production.

Habitat
Gardens, meadows, forest edges, and farms across eastern North America
Diet
Pollen and nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants
How common
Common

Best time to see a Common Eastern Bumble Bee

The best time to see a Common Eastern Bumble Bee is July–September, when about 68% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 235,803 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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Not certain it is a Common Eastern Bumble Bee? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Often confused with

Eastern Carpenter Bee - see how to tell them apart

Recent Common Eastern Bumble Bee sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

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