Bombus polaris is part of the family Apidae, which is part of the larger class of Insecta. Apidae is the largest family of bees, including … See more

General appearance
Bombus polaris has a thicker coat of hair than temperate bees in order to slow heat loss. Although the … See more

The nests are heavily insulated, an important factor in the bees’ energy conservation in the harsh polar environment. At the … See more

Initiation
Bombus polaris queens hibernate for about nine months, suspended in an almost lifeless state in a … See more

B. polaris has a bio-mechanical method of bringing its body to a much higher abdominal temperature than its temperate relatives. The ability of B. polaris to fly in deep cold is due to a process called thermoregulation, which allows it to raise its internal body … See more

This bumblebee has a wide circumpolar distribution, found in Canada, Arctic Alaska, Arctic islands (Devon Island, Ellesmere Island See more

Foraging
Bombus polaris is one of the few bumblebee species where the queen will continue to forage … See more