Late Summer Bumblebees

In our home flower gardens the Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) and New England Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) have been buzzing with Common Eastern Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens).  Workers and possibly queens were busy foraging.

Several Common Eastern Bumblebees on Showy Goldenrod

  

More foraging bumblebees

Common Eastern Bumblebee on New England Aster

Another photo of the same bee

Drones on the other hand were sleeping away the day.  They were so cold that you could pick them up and they could not fly away.

A pair of bumblebee drones on Cut-leaf Coneflower blooms

This drone is buzzing his wing muscles, trying to warm them up enough to fly away.

Wing vibrations -trying to fly away