Adore bumblebees. I can lay in bed and watch a male stake out his territory over a yew bush outside my window....hes exhusts himself chasing off other males. Amazing critters...

When we had climbing Peace Roses on our trellis, the was a bumble bee (We called him Mr. Buzz) patrolling the flowers from sun up till sun down.
He would buzz me whenever I came near the roses, so I gave him the space. He had daylight and I had all the other times to care for the roses.

For as long as we live here, there always has been a bumble bee which patrols the driveway back and forth and then one time around the house and repeat. That goes on for about 2 months in spring. After that I see it once in a while - until next year. Does offspring learn the way it is supposed to be? It's always just one.

anneliese, you asked the questions I want to know about. It has been about 20 years that we've had a Mr.Buzz. I doubt that a bumble bee has that kind of life span.

Since the female nest underground i imagine the conditions where the male patrols must be an ideal site. Wish Bigfoot was here...he was a bee person.

I got to thinking about gandle's bee covered tree and decided to check out our bee situation. We had only one bee, he was all alone and he was going nuts over a few ca poppies. I tried to follow his path with a video camera but he was quick.
Anyway, below is a link to the video on Youtube.

BTW, I don't get any money or credits for clicks or anything like that. I just have fun in my garden.

Here is a link that might be useful: Buzy Bee

Years ago, when the world was new and all, and I had little kids, there was a bumble hole and nest in the ground by the front steps. We tried to avoid the bees, but my 3 year old daughter got stung and I wanted them gone.
Someone recommended that I get a stoneware jug, fill it half way with water,tie a rope to the handle, stand back and pull on the rope so that jug makes "glurp, glurp" sounds....and, they said, soon all the bees will fly out of the hole into the jug and you pop in the cork and you are done with them.
And I did that!...I sat in the yard and jerked on that jug......and nothing happened....
Anyhow, George the word you seek is "onomatopoia"...
Linda C

Thanks, Linda, thats the word. Now I'll be trying to compile a list of onomatopoiaic words. Lets see, murmur buzz etc.

Bee lover here. Hum.

snap, crash, whirr, chirp....to name a few.

Bumble bees are well dressed critters but their stings sure hurt. Enjoy watching any kind of bees when they are so heavy with pollen they pay no attention to you, sort of a drunken stupor. Small magic workers.