Baffin Island has bees. The bee may not be a true bee but everyone here calls them bees. Most refer to them as bumble bees. I believe that a true bumble bee is not capable of stinging. The Baffin Island bee is said to sting although I have never seen anyone get stung. The bee is a large insect bee-ing about 3/4" long. It has a spikey look to it as the yellow and black hairs jut outward from it's abdomen. On occasion I will spot a bee that doesn't belong here. It would be an insect that was brought here on a ship or aircraft as a stow away. I had seen a paper wasp in Pond Inlet. Pond Inlet is far above the arctic circle and far above the treeline. I do not think that these insects will survive after being unwitingly brought to the arctic. Those insects need forested areas and warmer temperatures. The arctic bumble bee is right at home on the tundra.
I was curious to know what has been learned about the local bumble bees and was astonished to find many interesting facts. First of all, there are five species described for arctic bumble bees. They all fall into the subspecies of "alpinobombus". Bombus is such a suitable name for a bumble bee, somehow. Bombus polaris is probably what the little creatures that can be found here are called. There is also species of bombus hyperboreus, bombus balteatus and bombus neoboreus buzzing around. There certainly is lots of bombus among us.
I am pleased with my new found knowledge. As I walk about our home made Tundra golf course, I shall surely take note of whether 'tis a bombus polaris or a bomus hyperborialis buzzing 'bout. I will assert that the bee doesn't have a stinger and cannot harm a human as is true with bumble bees of the south. I know that the people here, that run away in fear, screaming "Bee! Bee!", will not believe me. There are many falsehoods attached to the bee. Honestly, I will never understand how some of the Inuit men I know, run frantically away from the little arctic bumble bee. These men, most who would brave an arctic blizzard to hunt down big game with nothing more than a spear, fear these insects. Why? The bee seems to be an arctic boogieman. Tales of eggs being laid in your ears or of larvae growning under your skin and other such heebiegeebie stories that make you go ewww. I only see a bee collecting pollen. An arctic bee.
2 comments:
A true Bumble Bee can sting multiple times. Unlike other bees, the stinger doesn't come out. So, it can sting all it wants.
Fascinating to elarn that bumble bees survive in your clmate. We found some in the garden when we moved here 4 years ago, and I was very surprised to discover that they hatch from large white grubs in the soil when the eather warm sup. Wonder if 'your' bees do the same? Brrr!
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