 Bumblebees are varied in appearance , but are generally plump and densely furry . Compared to honeybees they are larger and stouter @-@ bodied . Many species have broad bands of colour , the patterns helping to distinguish different species . Whereas honeybees have short tongues and therefore mainly pollinate open flowers , some bumblebee species have long tongues and collect nectar from flowers that are closed into a tube . Compared to a honeybee , a bumblebee has a broader body and a more rounded tip to the abdomen . Bumblebees have fewer stripes ( or none ) , and usually have part of the body covered in black fur , while honeybees have many stripes including several grey stripes on the abdomen . Sizes are very variable even within species ; the largest British species , B. terrestris , has queens up to 22 mm long , males up to 16 mm long , and workers between 11 and 17 mm long . The largest bumblebee species in the world is B. <unk> of Chile , up to about 40 mm long , and described as " flying mice " and " a monstrous fluffy ginger beast " . 
