Bumble bees are one of several types of bees that live in and around Texas homes. Bumble bees and their relatives, the carpenter bees, are relatively large (15-25mm-long), robust bees covered with numerous hairs. They often have black bodies covered with black and yellow hairs that create a banded pattern. Approximately 50 species of bumble bees live in North America, most of which are important pollinators of flowers and considered beneficial.
        Carpenter bees are similar in appearance to bumble bees, but lack hairs on the top surface of the abdomen.

BIOLOGY
        Bumble bees are social insects.  Nests are usually constructed underground, and consist of a series of more-or-less spherical, waxen cells some of which hold the eggs and young. Some of the cells also serve as storage recepticles for honey and pollen.  Nesting sites may be depressions in the ground, deserted mouse nests, hollow logs, cavities in rotten stumps, railroad tie retaining walls, or even piles of grass, weeds or rubbish. Bumblebee colonies are smaller than those of honey bees or yellowjackets, and usually consist of only a few hundred individuals. Colony sizes increase throughout the summer. With the advent of cool weather most bees die, with only one or a few queens surviving the winter in sheltered locations.
        Bumble bees can become pests when their nest is located near places frequented by people. Despite their generally docile nature, the activities of bumble bees can be alarming to some. Though not as likely to attack people as other social insects like yellowjackets, bumble bees can and will sting.  Unlike honey bees, which have a barbed stinger that remains in the skin, bumble bees can sting repeatedly.  Stings are most likely to occur around a nest.  Bumble bees rarely sting during pollen gathering visits to flowers.