Bees: Introduction Categories: Bees Bees Intro Pollinators Last review date: 2026-02-27 09:30 Last edit date: Mason bee with pollen on underside of abdomen Photo by: J. Abel Biology Bees in North America are grouped into six families: 1. Colletidae (Polyester Bees) 2. Andrenidae (Mining Bees) 3. Halictidae (Sweat Bees) 4. Mellitidae (Oil-Collecting Bees), 5. Megachilidae […]
Colletidae: Polyester and Yellow-Faced Bees Categories: Bees Colletidae Pollinators Last review date: 2026-04-26 08:14 Last edit date: Polyester bee (Colletidae) on rabbitbrush flower Photo by: D. James Biology Bees in the family Colletidae are varied in appearance and have few common features except a two-lobed tip of their tongue. Polyester or Plasterer bees are named […]
Andrenidae: Mining and Miner Bees Categories: Andrenidae Bees Pollinators Last review date: 2026-04-26 08:15 Last edit date: Mining bee (Andrena sp.) on rabbitbrush flowers Photo by: D. James Biology The Andrenidae are a large, nearly cosmopolitan family of solitary, ground-nesting bees. Andrena is a large and diverse genus of about 400 species in North America, […]
Halictidae: Alkali Bees, Sweat Bees and Cuckoo Bees Categories: Bees Halictidae Pollinators Last review date: 2026-05-15 11:10 Last edit date: The alkali bee (Nomia melanderia), an important pollinator of alfalfa Photo by: J. Abel Biology Halictidae occur worldwide and are the second largest family of bees. There are about 500 species in North America, and […]
Megachilidae: Carder Bees (Anthidium spp.) Categories: Bees Megachilidae Pollinators Last review date: 2026-04-26 08:26 Last edit date: European wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) Photo by: D. James Biology Carder bees are so named because they ‘card’ or comb cottony down from hairy leaves using it to construct brood cells. There are 23 species in North […]
Megachilidae: Leafcutter Bees (Megachile) Categories: Bees Megachilidae Pollinators Last review date: 2026-04-26 08:28 Last edit date: Leafcutter Bee (Megachile sp.) Photo by: D. James Biology Leafcutter bees are solitary bees, and as their name suggests, cut 0.25-0.5 inch circular pieces of leaves or petals from which to construct their brood cells in rotting wood, stems […]
Megachilidae: Mason Bees (Osmia spp.) Categories: Bees Megachilidae Pollinators Last review date: 2026-04-26 08:29 Last edit date: Mason bee with pollen on underside of abdomen Photo by: J. Abel Biology There are three genera of Mason bees and closely related species (Hoplitis, Chelostoma, Osmia). Osmia is the most speciose genus with about 150 species in […]
Apidae: Bumble Bees (Bombus spp.) Categories: Apidae Bees Pollinators Last review date: 2026-04-26 08:30 Last edit date: The yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) found in gardens throughout most of Washington. Photo by: D. James Biology Very familiar, easily recognized and charismatic bees! Most common in higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere, there are less than […]
Apidae: Digger Bees (Anthopthora and Habropoda spp.) Categories: Apidae Bees Pollinators Last review date: 2026-04-26 08:35 Last edit date: Digger bee (Anthopthora sp.) Photo by: D. James Biology Digger bees are robust, ranging in size from 0.5-1.0 inch. Anthopthora is a large genus with more than 400 species worldwide and about 100 species in North […]
Apidae: Honey bee (Apis mellifera) Categories: Apidae Bees Pollinators Last review date: 2026-04-26 08:40 Last edit date: Honey bee (Apis mellifera) Photo by: D. James Biology The European honey bee is native to Europe, Asia and the Middle East but has been introduced to all parts of the world. Honey bees arrived in North America […]