Abstract: Pollination is an essential strategy for seed production and genetic diversity of plants. As important pollinating insects, bumblebees play a significant role not only in the pollination of wild and endangered plants, but also in facility crop pollination due to their unique foraging behavior and pollinating characteristics. Although a lot of researches on foraging behavior of bumblebees have been reported, there is a lack of systematic summary as for process, characteristics and pattern, behavioral strategy, influencing factors of the foraging behavior, and the influence on the pollination efficiency among plants. Therefore, in this article we attempt to provide a detailed review on the above mentioned aspects. Foraging behavior of bumblebees is a behavioral process that integrates going out of nest, taking in nectar and collecting pollen. Bumblebees would make use of various behavioral strategies according to the distribution of food resource in order to obtain the maximization of net energy. Ecological factors such as light, temperature and humidity can influence the foraging behavior of bumblebees. In addition, factors from plant such as color, morphology, scent of flower and food nutritional status would exert an impact on the foraging behavior of bumblebees. Some other factors such as social information, microorganisms in intestinal system of bumblebees, pathogens and insect pests, and competitors of foraging can all impact their foraging behavior through physiological regulation. In addition, interspecific and intraspecific competition can affect the foraging behavior of bumblebees. As an essential part of pollination, foraging behavior of bumblebees would also influence the pollination efficiency, and further impact fruit set, seed set and fruit quality. Currently, the foraging behavior of bumblebee has been managed in many ways to improve pollination efficiency in greenhouses. In summary, the researches about foraging behavior help to understand the pollinating function and process and provide a basis for the application of artificial domestication of bumblebees in facility crop pollination. However, according to the current research status in combination with the effects of factors such as climate change and pesticide application, a lot of scientific problems related to foraging behavior of bumblebees should be further studied, e. g. the genetic basis of floral preference, ecological response of foraging behavior, mechanism of coevolution with plants, impact from climate change and pesticide application and adaptive mechanism of bumblebees. Research on these issues will promote further understanding of the mechanism of foraging behavior and improve pollinating agricultural production.

Key words: Bumblebee, foraging behavior, behavioral strategy, environmental factors; pollination efficiency