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The males and females are the last brood reared. After they have gone, the colony begins to
deteriorate. The
foundress queen stops laying eggs and grows weak from old age. The
remaining workers continue to forage for food but only for themselves,
behaving more like males while visiting flowers (Prys-Jones and Corbet,
1991). Other organisms take advantage of the colony's weakened
state.  Parasitic flies and wasps parasatize larvae and adults, speeding
the death of the remaining colony members. The most destructive organism to infest
the bumble bee colony is the wax moth. Wax moth adults enter bumble bee
nests and deposits several eggs. Once hatched, wax moth larvae feast on
the wax in brood clumps and on pupal cells. In a short period of time
the larvae devour the wax. The wax is the essential component holding
the structure of the nest together. Once the wax is removed the nest
begins to crumble, eventually falling to pieces. Wax moths not
only infest weakened nests, but often infest nests throughout a colony's
existence. Soon the queen will die and her remaining daughters will follow
suit. The once powerful citadel is now a rotting shanty. Any
hint of the former owners will soon be gone and new tenants will take up
residence. Rodents will reclaim the bumble bee nest, constructing dens
to hide from the cold of
winter. When Spring returns they will leave, providing a new homes for
the next generation of bumble bees.
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Parasitic flies and wasps parasatize larvae and adults, speeding
the death of the remaining colony members. The most destructive organism to infest
the bumble bee colony is the wax moth. Wax moth adults enter bumble bee
nests and deposits several eggs. Once hatched, wax moth larvae feast on
the wax in brood clumps and on pupal cells. In a short period of time
the larvae devour the wax. The wax is the essential component holding
the structure of the nest together. Once the wax is removed the nest
begins to crumble, eventually falling to pieces. Wax moths not
only infest weakened nests, but often infest nests throughout a colony's
existence. Soon the queen will die and her remaining daughters will follow
suit. The once powerful citadel is now a rotting shanty. Any
hint of the former owners will soon be gone and new tenants will take up
residence. Rodents will reclaim the bumble bee nest, constructing dens
to hide from the cold of
winter. When Spring returns they will leave, providing a new homes for
the next generation of bumble bees.
