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
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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5,300+species
63national parks
50states