What's all the Buzz? (AKA: Getting sweet)

Today is World Bee Day. Honey bees get all the love, but there are so many other bees that we cross paths with. There are around 3,500 species of bees in the US, (superfamily Apoidea), which includes the European honey bee. The rest pollinate as well, but most are solitary. Here’s a few to watch out for.

The California carpenter bee

Carpenter bees – Most of us are familiar with one of the 33 species of carpenter bees we have in North America. The majority of species are robust, look like bumble bees, and have some part of their body that is shiny black. They can be distinguished from bumble bees by their larger size and the patent-leather black abdomen. Bumble bees have their abdomen mostly covered with hairs.

As the name suggests, these tunnel into wood to make galleries to lay their eggs. They need untreated wood (nothing painted or sealed), so are often seen around decks and other wood structures. They do not attack live wood. Despite people being afraid of this “huge bee”, they rarely sting, and the damage they do is minor. Like other species of solitary bee, they will nest close together. Sometimes they will reuse or extend previously used galleries.

Cyclops cuckoo sweat bee

Sweat bees – We only have about 400 species (only!) in the US. There are more species in temperate regions than tropical ones, which is not typical of insect families. They tend to look more like wasps, but it’s typical to see them covered in pollen. Color will range from typical honey bee coloration to metallic green. They are usually small and will annoy people by flying around them, much like flies.

These are found burrowing in soils. This subfamily of bees does have a few species that are described as “primitively eusocial”. They don’t have overlapping generations, but they will have a single reproductive female, and they care for the brood together. One or more individuals will guard the entrance to the nest. Like honey bees, sweat bees produce a waxy substance that they line the burrows with. It provides stability and waterproofing.

Death camas miner bee

Miner bees – These can often look like honey bees, and we have almost 500 species in the US. They like dirt roads and other bare soil areas to dig in. Though solitary, they will nest in close proximity to each other. Unlike many of our insect groups, there is the most diversity in temperate and dry areas instead of tropical zones.

Most species commonly fly in the spring and can be seen around flowers, collecting nectar and pollen. Many are oligolectic, which means they typically have a specific pollen preference (yep, I had to look that up). They may collect from just a single species of plant or from a family. Another difference between these and social bees: they are crepuscular (that’s two jeopardy words for you today!). They are active at dawn and dusk instead of during the day.

Wolly wall bee (leafcuttrer)

Leafcutter bees – Personally, I think these bees are the coolest of our solitary bee species. Yep, I play favorites. Their genus name Megachile means “large jaws” which makes sense considering they cut up leaves. With 130 species in the US, there is quite a bit of variability in color but most will have stripes on their abdomen. Leafcutter bees tend to be about the size of honey bees.

The leaves they cut aren’t food, they are used as plugs to seal off their nests and as lining for the cells. They tend to nest in preexisting wood holes or in the ground. They collect pollen for the cells and unlike honey bees, these have a pollen basket on the lower abdomen instead of the hind leg. One more Jeopardy word for today: scopa is the term for that pollen basket.

The urbane digger bee

Digger bees – Species of digger bees, as the name suggests, dig. We have 68 species in the US, and once again, few species are found in the tropics; most are found in temperate regions. They resemble carpenter bees in their size and shape (they are in the same subfamily), but are more hairy and can be yellow or white with black.

Digger bees will nest in clusters, but are still solitary. They are often found near water, creating their little nests in the soil around streams and creeks. One desert species will dig down 3 feet in the sand to build its nest. Some species feed on very specific plants while others are generalists.

There are so many species of bees out there, and they are great pollinators. Except for the few parasitic species. Go out there and look for some of these cool species and remind people that they are great pollinators and rarely pests. If you want to learn more, this is a wonderful site. This one too. If you want to learn more about having your very own fractional entomologist, this is a wonderful site.

The pugnacious leafcutter bee

Lagniappe -

Solitary bee mating - with the BEST narration.

One of the largest bees in the US - look at those teeth!

Urban entomology consulting