Native Bees
Mason Bee
Leafcutter Bee
Bumble Bee
Resin Bee
Mason Bees
Mason bees are the perfect pollinators for spring gardens, farms,
and orchards because they are gentle, easy to raise, and fun to watch. There are 139 species of Mason bees that are Native to the United States.
Most North American species are metallic blue, black, or green in color, although other color variations exist.
Most North American species are around 7-15 millimeters long; male bees are noticeably smaller than females.
Mason bees have large scissor-like jaws to gather mud, pulp and leaves to construct nests.
All female mason bees have parallel rows of pollen-collecting hairs, called the scopa, on the underside of their abdomen. Only female mason bees have a scopa - males do not help transport pollen back to the nest and do not need these specialized hairs.
Despite having a stinger, female mason bees are not aggressive and rarely sting, even when handled. The sting is also much less painful than that of a honey bee. As a result, beekeepers do not need any special protective equipment when working with mason bees. Male mason bees do not have a stinger!
You do not need to purchase Bees but if you wanted a head start here is a source: https://crownbees.com/mason-and-leafcutter-bees/
Leaf Cutter Bees
There are 242 species of Leafcutter native to North America it can be challenging to identify bees down to the species level.
Most North American species are approximately the size of the common honey bee; males are noticeable smaller than females, have a more rounded abdomen, and longer antennae.
Leafcutter bees are dark in color with light bands on their abdomen. Females have black eyes, while males have green eyes.
Leafcutter bees have large scissor-like jaws to cut and gather leaves, flower petals, and resin to construct their nests.
All female leafcutter bees have parallel rows of pollen-collecting hairs, called the scopa, on the underside of their abdomen. When a bee is carrying pollen, the underside of the abdomen appears yellow or gold in color. Only female leafcutter bees have a scopa - males do not help transport pollen back to the nest and do not need these specialized hairs.
Despite having a stinger, female leafcutter bees are not aggressive and rarely sting, even when handled. The sting is also much less painful than that of a honey bee. As a result, beekeepers do not need any special protective equipment when working with mason bees. Male leafcutter bees do not have a stinger!
You do not need to purchase Bees but if you wanted a head start here is a source: https://crownbees.com/mason-and-leafcutter-bees/
Bumble Bees
The bumblebee shares several similarities with the honeybee. It relies on the pollen and nectar from flowering plants for sustenance, it produces honey (however it is in amounts far too small to be harvested by people), and it bears black and yellow stripes on a furry, winged body. But unlike its hive-dwelling cousin, the bumblebee has some fascinating nesting behavior. When we think of bees and wasps, we usually envision a papery ball hanging from a tree branch or a wax honeycomb filled with worker bees. While a bumblebee nest may take shape in a tree and does involve the production of some wax, their homes don’t resemble that of any other stinging insect.
All insects have three main body parts: the head, thorax and abdomen. Our online key focuses on color patterns on each of these three body parts. Photos that include the color patterns on all three of these body parts will be the most helpful. Many species profile pages refer to color patterns on T1-5. T refers to abdominal segments on the “back” of the bee. T actually refers to the term Tergal. So T-1 is tergal segment 1; see diagram below.
In order to properly identify bumble bees, you need to first determine whether the bee you are examining is male or female. There are three different types of bumble bees you will encounter: workers, queens, and males. Both queens and workers are female. In most cases, queens and workers have similar coloration and physical features, except that queens tend to be much larger. Males can differ in coloration from females of the same species, as well as other physical characteristics. See next image
You can learn much more about Bumble Bees at https://www.bumblebeewatch.org
Bumble Bee Watch is a collaborative effort to track and conserve North America’s bumble bees. This community science project allows for individuals to:
Upload photos of bumble bees to start a virtual bumble bee collection;
Identify the bumble bees in your photos and have your identifications verified by experts;
Help researchers determine the status and conservation needs of bumble bees;
Help locate rare or endangered populations of bumble bees;
Learn about bumble bees, their ecology, and ongoing conservation efforts; and
Connect with other community scientists.
Resin Bees
The (Smith) Resin Bee (Megachile sculpturalis) has a large, cylindrical body, which is typically black and yellow-brown in color. The head is dark with yellow-brown setae (insect hairs). These golden hairs can be found on the thorax and the first segment of the abdomen.
The female bee, ranging in size from 22 to 27 mm, is typically much larger than the male bee, which ranges in size from 14 to 19 mm. The female has a more pointed abdomen while the male’s abdomen has a blunt edge.
The males are distinguished by a line of golden hairs that resemble a moustache directly above the mandibles. Megachile sculpturalis have smoky-colored wings that contain dark marks near the edges. Their wings, while resting, are often held in a V shape on their back.
The giant resin bee can be distinguished from other, native megachilids by its size. US native megachilids, such as leafcutter bees, are considerably smaller than the giant resin bee, ranging in size from 5 mm to 24 mm.
The males are unable to sting, and the females, although able to sting, are not aggressive and usually fly away from humans. The overall ecological impact of this bee has been considered benign, since no drastically negative or positive outcomes have been detected by their presence thus far. They are known to pollinate up to 43 different species of plants in the US and do exhibit preferential pollination of plant species from their native habitat.
The giant resin bee has been observed to leave puncture marks on the petals of two types of flowers, the everlasting pea and the Japanese pagoda flower. This is a helpful visual marker for researchers studying what plants the giant resin bee visits. This behavior does leave a permanent mark on the flowers, and in other species, a mark like this could have a negative effect on the pollinating ability of the flower.
Build a Bee House to attract native bees!
Many of the wild bees you may encounter in your backyard garden make their burrow homes in the soil.
Some bees create hives in snags (a dead or dying standing tree, often with its branches broken off), or in holes in trees.
The activity of native bees will encourage the reproduction of native plants in your yards and gardens. You can encourage native bees to nest near your wildflower gardens by providing man-made nesting blocks, or “Bee Houses.” found for sale at many places. Here is one source: https://crownbees.com/shop/bee-houses/
Materials You Will Need
A 4”x6” or 6”x6” dried pine or fir post (or you can try a weathered fence post or other scrap wood).
Drill and drill bits, a variety of diameters, ranging from 1/4 in. to 3/8 in.
Paper straws – not plastic (available at some hardware stores, or through a scientific supply store), or small hollow sticks, with one end sealed. If you would like to purchase nesting materials here is one sourcs: https://crownbees.com/nesting-materials/
A warm location protected from rain and predators.
How to Do It
Cut the wooden posts into blocks 8-12 in. long.
Drill holes into the wood blocks: using a variety of hole diameters from 1/4 in. to 3/8 in., drill holes 3-5 in. deep, and at least 3/4 in. apart.
Alternatively, a bundle of paper straws or hollow sticks, with one end sealed, will make an attractive bee home.
Bees prefer dark colored homes, so consider charring the front of your “Bee Condo” lightly with a torch.
Mount your “Bee Condo” on a post or attach to the side of a building. Place nesting blocks so that tunnels are horizontal. Make sure they are in a warm location with southern exposure and protected from rain. A good place could be under the eaves of a garage or shed.
If you don’t want to build your own “Bee Condo,” consider commercial sources for bee nests.
For more information on Native Bees or their habitats and more take a look at these links: