Bumble Bees (Bombus spp.)
Bumble bees are fuzzy, fat black-and-yellow native bees and some of the most important pollinators in the Pacific Northwest. They nest in old rodent burrows, brush piles, and occasionally wall cavities — with small colonies of 50–400 workers. Unlike honeybees, they can sting repeatedly, but they’re famously docile and rarely sting unless directly threatened.
A note on bumble bees: We do not exterminate bumble bee colonies in the ground unless they pose a direct safety threat to children or pets in a heavily-used area. They’re protected pollinators, and PNW populations have been in decline. If a colony is in a problem location, we’ll work with you to relocate or wait out the season — colonies die off naturally each winter.
Full identification guide and PNW-specific information coming soon. In the meantime, see our Stinging Insects category page for ID comparisons against wasps, hornets, and other bee species.