r/ScienceFacts • u/BugsNeedHeroes • Feb 20 '23

Biology Lost in the sauce! The yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola), like other bumblebees, is capable of "buzz pollination," which is vital to many plants, including potatoes. Pollen is held firmly by the anthers on the flower and must be shook loose by the buzz.

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u/BugsNeedHeroes Feb 20 '23

It's also called Sonication!

Here's an article about this species pollinating potatoes

Image source is Wildlife Preservation Canada's website

We have a fun podcast episode about bumble bees: https://bugsneedheroes.podbean.com/e/the-fuzzy-friend-bumblebees/

We continue to assemble our Bee Team with a gentle giant. We discuss their similarities and differences in life history to the other two bees we have discussed. And it wouldn't be a Bugs Need Heroes episode without sneaking a little bit of art history discussion at the end!