It is said that one in three bites of food we take require the work of an louse pollinator . Apples , strawberry , blueberries , cranberries , pumpkin , flax , canola , sunflower and lucerne take insects to produce fruit or seed . Honey bee , integral to commercial-grade USDA , are the most familiar pollinator , but are just one of the over twenty thousand bee mintage found around the reality . Four thousand of these bee coinage are regain in the U.S. and Canada . The dearest bee , apis mellifera , is not native to the U.S. and was brought to this area by the former colonist . The diminishing of dearest bee population and subsequent care for agriculture has been in the news , but the grandness of our native bees to pollenation and the dangers face them are less well known . To learn who our native bee are and what we can do to protect them , we should start at the beginning .
One hundred thirty - five million years ago , the landscape was covered with forests , ferns and conifers . These plant reproduced by scattering their pollen with the wind . Some insects begin feeding on this pollen and , carrying it on their dead body , help move the pollen from plant to plant . Eventually , plant such as H2O lily and magnolia begin to develop flower petal to advertise their pollen and attract pollinator benefactor , credibly beetles . Over meg of years , heyday created nectar and developed bright colours , shapes and scents to attract the pollinating louse . Evolving along with the plants , the pollinating butterflies , beetles and flies grow the mouth parts needed to suck up the nectar . bee became the most highly specialized of these pollinate insects and today stand out as the star of all the insect pollinators . The Beguiling History of bee .
Is it a bee , a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant or a fly ?
Wasps , which include the fearsome yellow - jackets and hornet , are carnivores and feed on grubs or other insects . They can be aggressive and that terrible “ bee sting ” you have received has most in all likelihood come from a variety of wasp . Wasps are very thin between chest and abdomen ( the “ wasp waist ” ) , sleek and hairless , with recollective , dangling legs . They flit in and out of a flower without lingering and might swarm your cinch , lapping from a soda can or bring a bite from an apple . bee , which acquire from the first white Anglo-Saxon Protestant , are vegetarian and fee on the sugar - racy nectar and protein - rich pollen encounter in flowers . Bees are docile creatures and only the female has a stinger . Far too busy sipping nectar and collecting pollen to feed her young , she is improbable to sting . Bees are typically hairy on body and leg , ( to enable pollen to stick ) and can spend a farsighted time rummage around in a blossom look for the pollen . Flies are also found sipping nectar on efflorescence . Some , like the hover tent flap that garner on aster in the fall , have evolved to look much like a bee , but close observation reveal big differences . Flies are smooth with no pollen - pile up hairs , they have two wing , forgetful antenna , a thick waist and big eyes facing the front of their head.[insert photo of hover fly]Bees have long , slight antennae , four wings , a clearly separated chest and abdomen , pollen - collecting hair’s-breadth on ramification or paunch and eyes on the side of the head .
Native bees are count a “ keystone ” species , mean they arecentral to the food webof an ecosystem , and the survival of the fittest of many other species depends upon them . By collecting pollen to flow their young , native bee are go the pollen from flower to flower , allowing the works to make seeds and reproduce . The seeds and fruit that originate , and the dirt ball that feed on them , are in turn eat by other wildlife , from songbirds to bears .
Lifestyle of native bee :
Bees go through complete metamorphosis : ballock , larva , pupa and adult . Unlike butterflies and moths , the larvae stay in the nest over the winter , only emerge as full - gown grownup in the bounce and summertime . Seventy - five percent of native bees are solitary , meaning the female constructs and provision the nest on her own . The female mates , makes a nest , put eggs and provisions the nest with pollen . The larvae hatch , consume the pollen and then , as adults , emerge to start the cycle again . Bumble bee , on the other hand , are social , living in a colony with a variance of labor . Whether lonely or societal , bee nest in the primer coat , in empty stems , abandoned mallet tunnel or in cavity in forest .
Identifying native bees :
Bees are a diverse species , ranging in size of it from very tiny ( smaller than a mosquito ) to very large , up to an column inch or more . They can be disconsolate brown or reddish ; they can be metal green , down in the mouth or black ; they can disport whitened or chicken grade insignia and can be stout and burly or small and tenuous . Their wooden leg can be haired or smooth and their antenna and be tenacious or shortsighted . Some have recollective tongue that can achieve deeply into tubular flowers ; others are short - tongue and provender on shallow efflorescence . Given this variety , how can gardeners name the bees that flit from bloom to flower in their garden ? Even bee scientists often inspect a specimen under a microscope to determine the exact metal money . But by knowing which ones we are likely to see in our Virginia backyard , we can get going making educated guesswork . Native and Solitary Bees of Virginia .
Mason bees(FamilyMegachilidae , genusOsmia ) are low , up to ½ in distance and are colored metallic green , naughty or black . Look for them ahead of time , as they are among the first to come along in the springtime . They conduct their pollen on the hairy bottom of their abdomen rather than on their leg . While most are generalists and can feast on many kinds of flowers , some specialize in flowers of the rose orRosacaefamily . Apples , cherries , plum and almonds are in this class so if your ornamental cherry red or crabapple tree is hum in the spring , you are likely hear mason bees doing their employment . Osmia lignaria , the dreary orchard bee , has become an efficient commercial pollinator of orchard crop . Blue orchard bees impose more flowers per bit than honeybees and can vanish at lower temperatures than Apis mellifera so can commence to begin with in the morning , appropriate a longer “ work day ” .
bee are often named according to the way they work up their nest . Mason bee establish their nests in old beetle tunnels , in hollow stem of plants or in holes in wood . The distaff emerges in the outflow , finds a suited nest and lays eggs in a tunnel , fall apart each cellular telephone with a rampart of mud ( hence the name “ A. E. W. Mason ” ) . Before sealing it , she provisions each cell with pollen , which is eaten when the larvae crosshatch . The locution “ fussy as a bee ” is an clever one . It take from 15 – 35 trips , visiting as many as 75 flowers each trip , to get enough pollen for one cellphone and a female may lay ball in several nests in her short lifetime . The larvae and the hatched bee spend the wintertime in the nest , finally chewing through the mud in the spring to egress , mate and depart the oscillation again . Because mason bees nest in previously built burrow , you’re able to appeal masons to your yard by drilling holes in a occlusion of Ellen Price Wood or quondam soapbox to put up nesting places . will the dry prow of plants standing in the garden through the wintertime to protect bees who might have taken up abode .
sudor bees(familyHalictidae , genusLasioglossum ) are small , ranging from a few centimeter to one - one-half inch . normally metal , they can be dark brown , fateful and even glistening unripened . Often attracted to the common salt in human exertion , this is the little bee you might find licking moisture off your arm . These little beauties fly from early spring through gloaming and are the most commonly seen bee in North America . Because they are generalists , foraging on many blossom , and are abundant in routine , they are fantabulous pollinators . Their little size enable them to go late into small flowers , take in them efficient pollinators of many wildflowers , sunflowers and other composite or daisy - similar bloom . They behave their pollen on scopae on their hind leg . A diverse chemical group , they have vary nesting and behavioral habits . Most are solitary , nest in old louse tunnels in the ground or in decaying logs . Some are semi - societal and partake nest with other females , creating side chamber that scent around and connect .
Mining bees(familyAndrenidae , genusAndrena ) are small to intermediate - sized bee , moderately bleary and typically are greyish or chocolate-brown . They are omnipresent across North America with roughly 550 species fall out in the U. S.Able to tolerate cold , Adrenaare among the early bee to come along in the spring and can be effective pollinator of crops that bloom early , before honey bees are active . Some mintage ofAdrenaare authoritative pollinators of commercial crops such as blueberries , cranberry and onions . Maples ( Acer ) and Willows ( Salix ) are among the early blush visited byAdrena . Species that emerge late forage on sunflowers , blanket flower , coneflower and black - eyed susans . As indicated by their name , excavation bees nest in the ground , often preferring the bare soil under shrub or at the root word of rocks . A small mound of grime at the entrance to a mess indicates the possible home of a minelaying bee .
Leafcutter bees(familyMegachilidae , genusMegachile ) constitute over 130 mintage throughout the U. S. They are average in size of it , ranging from about one - one-half to almost an column inch in length with stalwart , blackish bodies . Megachileare solitary confinement , with each female building and provisioning her own nest . Most nest above primer coat in cavities of wood , dead plant stalk , between rocks or in military personnel - made area such as holes in concrete . The name “ Megachile ” mean “ great - lipped ” and denote to the large jaws they practice to cut section of leaves they then utilise to describe their nest . Do n’t panic if you see expectant , circular holes in the leaf of your plant . It may be the work of aMegachilegathering textile for her nest . The female cuts a round patch out of a leafage and have it back to her nest where she manducate it until gummy . She presses the leafage edges against the wall of her nest , create a cellphone which she then fills with pollen before laying an egg in it . The sister bee pupate in isolation , come forth as adults in the summer , ready to feast on a variety of bloom . They pack pollen on the haired undersides of their abdomens . While manyMegachileare generalists , some particularize in heyday of the helianthus and aster families . The alfalfa leafcutter bee ( Megachile rotundata ) is an important pollinator of commercial lucerne crop .
Carpenter bees(familyApidae , genusXylocopa ) are the largest native bee , often reach one inch in length . Because of their size , carpenter bees are often confused with bumble bees , but it is easy to distinguish between them . While the carpenter bee can have a haired thorax , the give - away that you are front at a carpenter is itsshiny , nearly hairless abdomen . Xylocopameans “ woodwind - worker , ” describing their power to masticate hole in wood to make their nests . They can be a pain in the neck to householder when they utilize their powerful mandibles to drill into the unpainted wood of deck , fences or building to establish their nests . They last a solitary life - style , but the males can be territorial , police the nest to discourage predators . This can be disconcerting to humans , but like all manlike bees , male carpenter bees can not sting . While bothersome , they are harmless . Because they are so large , you will find them foraging on opened prime such as sunflowers . Too big to penetrate cannular flowers like beardtongue and salvia , they can “ fleece ” the nectar of these blossoms by chewing a hole in the base of the efflorescence and wassail the nectar . Even with their robbing tendencies , Xylocopapollinate crops such as blueberry , Lycopersicon esculentum and melons .
Bumble bees(familyApidae , genusBombus ) are our most familiar and best - loved bee . Bombuscomes from the Hellenic password “ bombos ” imply “ bombinate audio ” and their low-pitched , droning , hum is one of the touch sounds of a summertime day . Large and furry , bumble bees are distinguished by the black and yellow coloration patterns on their chest and abdomen . Bumble bee be a societal life history style , meaning the queen , uninventive female actor and male person ( drones ) live in colonies and have a division of labor . The paired poove hibernates , come forth in the spring to install her new nest . Most bumble bees nest in the ground in old beetle tunnels , rodent golf hole or other pre - existing caries . The queen collects pollen and lays eggs , then stays in the nest as the larvae get and become adult workers who take over the foraging . The queen lays more eggs which develop into more worker . By the goal of the season , the bollock modernise into male and a new set of queens . The male and the tabby leave the nest , mate , and then the male dies . The proletarian and old fairy also die . The paired queens then retrieve a place to hole up and the Hz begins again . It is heavy to know who is whom among bumble bee , but the time you see them gives a clew . Females fly in other spring ; worker fly in spring , summertime and fall ; Modern queens and males vaporize in late summer and fall . With fuzzy coat that help them endure cooler temperatures , bumble bees seem early in the springiness and stay active well into the surrender . They can arouse their body warmth to fly temperature by contract their flight of stairs muscles without flap their wings and warm up by bask in the sun . Bumble bee are Renaissance man , feeding on many efflorescence and some species have long tongues that enable them to reach down into long tubular flower . A bumble bee can expect half its body weight in nectar and pollen .
Bumble bee can “ buzz - pollinate ” by grabbing the flower and vibrating their flight of stairs heftiness to dislodge the pollen , create them important pollinators of glasshouse tomatoes . They are also pollinator of apples , cherry , blackberry and blueberries .
Bee coinage can be difficult to identify . But the declamatory , slowly - impress bumble bee , with its distinct chicken markings , is sluttish to canvass . The next time you are in your garden , take a moment to keep an eye on these fascinating brute and see how many you could key , Bumblebees of Virginia .
Specialist bees
While most bees are generalist , feeding on a wide variety of flowers , about 20 % are specialists and feed on one , or in some cases , two or three kinds of plant . specialist are active only when their plant life is in bloom , and with only one brood , have smaller populations than generalists . Many specialiser rely on spring ephemerals , such as bound knockout , violet and trout lily . Redbud ( Cercis canadensis ) , Dogwoods ( Cornus , especially osiers and silky ) , Winterberry ( Ilex verticillata ) and Willow(Salix ) are important to specialists . Later in the season , heyday in theSolidagoandHelianthusfamilies are used by specialist . Specialist Bees Need Special Plants .
One of the most - conversant of the specialist bee isPepanapsis pruinosa . If you mature zucchini , butternut , pumpkin or other squash , you may have see these “ mash bees ” deep in the flowers doing their job . Squash Bees
Bees in declivity
Many species of bee have been in declination in late years , with bumble bee suffer severe loses . There are 14 specie of bumble bees in Virginia but many population have suffer declines — as much at 90 % over the past 15 years . Some specie of bumble bee , like the rusty fleck , are believe to be nearly extinct , and others are rarely seen . The most common , the Common American Bumblebee , is now seen less often . T’ai Roulston and researchers at U.Va . ’s Blandy Experimental Farm have been studying the decrement in bumble bee populations and charge the decline on departure of habitat due to urbanization , pesticide use , change clime and disease . quandary of the Bumble BeeThey have found that , assumptions to the contrary , bumble bee can and do expand in urban and suburban habitats . Unlike rural farm , which go through period when nothing is blooming , homeowner works flowers , offering bees the intellectual nourishment they need throughout the season . Considering a recentU. N. Reportwarning of a decline in the health of ecosystem and an unprecedented acceleration of mintage extinction , can the place gardener roleplay a role in defending some species?As we garden , why not be knowing about create the home ground and embed the flowers that will draw in and sustain bees ? Even the smallest plot in a townhome or balcony in an apartment offers an opportunity to create a bee - friendly environment :
2 . Cluster blossom in large groups to make forage slow . A bumble bee can flee up to a mile , but a belittled bee may only adventure 500 metrical foot from its nest .
3 . Provide nestle and overwintering site by leave some area mulch - free and leaving dry out stems of perennials and grasses standing throughout the wintertime .
4 . Do not use pesticide . Systemic pesticides , such as neonicotinoids , are not selective and infiltrate all parts of a plant , including stems and folio , making the whole works toxic . Some greenhouses and nursery treat young works with “ neonics ” before sending them to garden shop , so it is wise to check before purchase . To learn more about neonicotinoids , read the recent article in “ The Garden Shed,”Another Pesticide Controversy : Neonicotinoids and Pollinator Decline
Gardeners lie with the beaut , scent and sound of a garden . Now consider making it exciting by bid the bees . When you lead off feeding the bees , you ’ll find that butterfly stroke , dragonflies , moths , hummingbird and other fascinating brute will before long take up residence . As your garden hums with animation , you will also be invited to expend more time in the garden as it becomes a vibrant , beautiful ecosystem for all to bask .
References and more information :
The Bees in Your Backyard : A Guide to North America ’s Bees ( Wilson , Joseph S. and Carril , Olivia Messsinger , Princeton University Press , 2016 )
Our Native Bees(Embry , Timber Press , 2018 ) .
Attracting Native Pollinators(Xerces Society , Storey Publishing , 2011 )
Attracting Pollinators Using Native Plants
Pollinator flora for the Mid - Atlantic
