Celebrating Different Bee Species

Bees are incredibly unique. Bees are complex with social structures that AI programmers have adapted. Bee biology continues to fascinate scientists and enthusiasts alike. Bees are critical contributors to pollination and are big hitters in food production. All bees have their roles in pollination; both social and solitary species contribute to a balanced ecosystem. Whether bees are living in an organic or man-made hive or nesting in the ground, even beekeepers continue to be awed by these majestic insects. Their versatility and adaptability make them a celebrated contributor to the environment.

The Beloved Honeybee

It is in the name: honey. Honeybees are the most popular bees for beekeepers to care for. These social bees have impressively routine scheduled and designated roles that don’t change. Honeybees collect nectar, return it, dry it out, and cover it. The honeybee hive is a well-oiled machine. Every bee in the honeybee hive has an important role in contributing to the needs of the whole, starting with the queen, who is responsible for laying all baby bee eggs for her entire life span. Honeybees are known as high-energy bees, but their production of sweet honey leaves room for grace in this regard.

The list of honeybees is expansive and includes the Western honeybee, Eastern honeybee (Apis cerana), Giant honeybee (Apis dorsata), Corniolan honeybee, Dwarf honeybee (Apis florea), Russian honeybee, and Caucasian honeybee, to name a few!

Fuzzy Bumblebees

The fattest looking and fuzziest bee, often the image that comes to mind when you hear the word bees, is the bumblebee. These fluffy pollinators buzz around plants and flowers and seem to float delicately. Bumblebees are social bees that collectively fertilize flowers and tree blooms for ideal blossoms. Although bumblebees are smaller in size, they have a significant role in nature. The bumblebees are responsible for adding brilliant color to the world!

Different bumblebee species include the Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum), Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum), and Arctic bumblebee (Bombus Polaris). The list of bumblebee species is over 250, so these are only a few of the ones we see here in the United States.

Carpenter Bees

These bees are best known for how they bore into wood to make homes. As one can imagine, these are not always the most welcome of bees because as they make their home, they can cause damage to structures. Although many people call carpenter bees pests, they should still be humanely relocated if a hive needs to be moved. No bees should be poisoned or killed because they all have a part to contribute to the environment's biodiversity. Carpenter bees contribute to plant diversity, and their physical varieties make them more challenging to identify in the wild.

Stingless Bees

Stingers are not required for bees to contribute to the ecosystem's health. Stingless bees are social, live in colonies, and pollinate various blossoms, contributing to the diversity of plants, trees, and flowers. They live in more tropical areas, working diligently to improve the biological systems around them. The Melipona are stingless bees found in the United States, and they are imperative to the pollination process, which seems redundant because all bee species are critical to a healthy and thriving environment.

The Nomada Bee

This bee species is just as the name would imply. Nomada bees wander like Nomads and act as parasites to other social bee species. The Nomada bee is the hive guest who shows up unannounced and uses other bees to provide food and protection. Although some call them freeloaders, they play an essential role in fertilization because of their travels. They help the environment adapt and create biodiversity. Nomada bees appear physically longer than other bee species and are often mistaken for wasps. Wasps are not bees, and their nests are entirely different. Not sure if you have bees or wasps on your property? Contact a knowledgeable and experienced beekeeper in your area.

Plasterer Bees

Plasterer bees are solitary bees that ground nest. Plasterer bees make their homes in sandy ground with little or no grass. Females make their own nest, collect nectar, fill their cell, lay one egg on the top, and cover it before moving on to the next cell. The substance she creates is like a cellophane. Although Plasterer bees may be more vulnerable to being disturbed because of their location on the ground, they won’t sting unless provoked. However, if you step on their nest, they may sting as a defense. Although solitary bees, nests may be found in groupings that passers-by can identify more easily.