Hi Russell,
That is actually a bumblebee, so it is a great one to have around the garden for pollination.  They can sting, but are less likely to sting compared to a honeybee. They won't damage your mom's house.

I'm not sure why that one was walking around instead of flying. Sometimes I see them on the ground or on plants when the air temperature is low, because they need to be warm enough to be able to fly. It's always possible that it was sick or injured too.


I can't tell which bumblebee species that is from the photo. It is not a yellow-faced bumblebee or a black-tailed bumblebee, which are a couple of the most common species that I see in our region.

Enjoy!