The Red-belted Bumble Bee is a distinctive, small bumble bee with a bright red or orange band on its abdomen and yellow-and-black patterning, found in open habitats across much of North America. It is one of few bumble bees with consistent red coloration. Like other bumble bees it is an important pollinator of native wildflowers and crops requiring buzz pollination.
Best time to see a Red-belted Bumble Bee
The best time to see a Red-belted Bumble Bee is July–August, when about 71% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 10,280 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Red-belted Bumble Bee? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Red-belted Bumble Bee sightings near you
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