Bees: Introduction categories: Bees Bees Intro Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-07 12:00 Mason bee with pollen on underside of abdomenPhoto 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 (Leafcutter and Mason Bees) 6. […]
Colletidae: Polyester and Yellow-Faced Bees categories: Bees Colletidae Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 Polyester bee (Colletidae) on rabbitbrush flowerPhoto 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 for their method of smoothing […]
Andrenidae: Mining and Miner Bees categories: Andrenidae Bees Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 Mining bee (Andrena sp.) on rabbitbrush flowersPhoto 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 and many are specialist pollinators […]
Halictidae: Alkali Bees, Sweat Bees and Cuckoo Bees categories: Bees Halictidae Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 The alkali bee (Nomia melanderia), an important pollinator of alfalfaPhoto by: J. Abel Biology Halictidae occur worldwide and are the second largest family of bees. There are about 500 species in North America and they are small to medium-sized […]
Megachilidae: Carder Bees (Anthidium spp.) categories: Bees Megachilidae Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 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 America with at least one species, […]
Megachilidae: Leafcutter Bees (Megachile) categories: Bees Megachilidae Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 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 and soil. They construct cigar-like […]
Megachilidae: Mason Bees (Osmia spp.) categories: Bees Megachilidae Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 Mason bee with pollen on underside of abdomenPhoto 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 North America. These bees are […]
Apidae: Bumble Bees (Bombus spp.) categories: Apidae Bees Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 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 50 species of bumble bee […]
Apidae: Digger Bees (Anthopthora and Habropoda spp.) categories: Apidae Bees Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 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 America. Habropoda is less speciose […]
Apidae: Honey bee (Apis mellifera) categories: Apidae Bees Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 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 with European colonists in the […]
Apidae: Long-Horned Bees (Melissodes and Eucera) categories: Apidae Bees Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-24 12:00 Long-horned bee (Melissodes)Photo by: J. Abel Biology Long-horned bees are common with more than 120 species in North America. Males have much longer antennae than females. Robust and hairy, they are moderate-sized bees (0.3-0.8 inches long) with conspicuously hairy rear legs. […]
Bees: Final Thoughts on Bees as Pollinators categories: Bees Final Thoughts on Bees Pollinators revision date: 2023-03-07 12:00 Biology Bees are the prime pollinators, designed to pollinate. Consequently, they are of prime importance to effective pollination on the landscape. Most of the bees seen in your garden will be solitary native bees, but they are […]