Wyoming's Native Bees

THE BACKYARD BUZZ Wyoming’s native bees Christine Bell and Lusha Tronstad Leafcutter bee, male Mason bee ost people think honey bees when they hear the word “bee,” M Belton Carlton V. Belton Carlton V. but there are many species of bees that live in your backyard and aid pollination. The alfalfa leafcutter bee, which was introduced from Europe, was the first solitary bee reared for commercial pollination. Alfalfa leaf cutter bees are specialized pollinators used to maximize seed production in alfalfa. These bees set 15 times more seeds example, blue orchard bees are used Native bees are essential for than native bees and 10 times more to pollinate almonds, cherries, and pollinating flowering plants across seeds as honey bees in alfalfa crops. apples, and blueberry bees are used Wyoming, from the prairies to the Commercial bumble bee colonies to pollinate blueberries. mountains. Bees are the best pol- are often used for pollinating crops, Native bees are not reared, linators of flowering plants and the especially plants in greenhouses. but they pollinate crops behind the only animals that completely rely on Tomatoes, peppers, and blueberries scenes. More seeds are made when flower pollen and nectar for survival. are a few crops that benefit from buzz native bees pollinate crops in com- Bees actively collect pollen to feed pollination where the bumble bee bination with the honey bee. Native their young and carry the pollen from grabs a flower and moves their wing bees are often better than honey one flower to the next. Non-bee pol- muscles rapidly, essentially vibrating bees at pollinating plants native to linators are only interested in the nec- pollen loose. North America, such as those in the tar, and any pollen is transported by Mason bees are frequently used nightshade family (potatoes, toma- accident. Bees have special branched in orchards all around the U.S. For toes, and peppers). hairs on their body designed to 8 BARNYARDS & BACKYARDS stripes. Most are sleek and shiny with little hair. Sweat bees are usually the Bright green sweat bee most abundant bees in Wyoming. Most are solitary, but some can be social. Sweat bees nest in the ground in hard-packed soil. These bees feed on a variety of flowers and are very important pollinators in Wyoming because they are so abundant. Mason and leafcutter bees are medium-sized, bulky insects that are solitary. Mason bees are generally a deep metallic blue, and leafcutter collect pollen. The location of these about what types of leaves or pet- bees are usually black with pale hair. hairs can help identify bees. als they line their nest with, and lilac Most bees collect pollen on their Little is known about native bees leaves are popular in Wyoming. These legs, but mason and leafcutter bees in Wyoming – an estimated 700-800 bees can leave the leaf looking a little collect pollen on dense hairs on their different species of bees in 42 gen- strange, but these bites do not harm belly. Mason and leafcutter bees nest era. Most native bees can be grouped the plant. in cavities, which means they build as bumble bees, sweat bees, mason Long-horned bees are medium- nests above ground in small open- and leafcutter bees, long-horned sized, bulky insects that are solitary. ings. Their common names refer to bees, mining bees, small dark bees, These bees are usually dark with the structure of their nests. Mason or cuckoo bees. We will introduce many pale hairs covering their body. bees build nests using mud or clay, these groups and then discuss what Males have long antennae, which is and leafcutter bees line the walls can be done to attract native bees to where their common name comes of their nests with pieces of leaves. your property. from. Females are frequently seen Leafcutter bees can be particular Bumble bees are medium to with their hairy back legs loaded with large-sized hairy bees usually black and yellow and often have an orange stripe on the abdomen. These bees are eusocial, meaning they form hives Bumble bee similar to honey bees with a queen and worker bees; however, bumble Belton Carlton V. bee colonies house far fewer individuals compared to honey bees. Unlike honey bees, bumble bee hives last for one summer, and only new queens overwinter. Bumble bees nest underground in cavities such as abandoned rodent burrows. Bumble bees are generalist pollinators, meaning they will visit almost any type of flower. Sweat bees are small to medium-sized slender bees that vary in color from dark metallic green, bright emerald green, to black with pale SUMMER 2016 9 BEE SIZE CHART Large Bees (0.5in to 1in) Medium Bees (0.25in to 0.5in) Small Bees (0.25in or smaller) Bumble bees Honey bees Sweat bees Long-horned bees Mason and leafcutter bees Masked bees Cuckoo bees Green sweat bees Small carpenter bees Cuckoo bees and dark in color. Small dark bees Mining bee Attracting Native Bees may be masked bees, small carpen- So how can you help encour- ter bees, or small sweat bees, and a age native bees on your property? Carlton V. Belton Carlton V. microscope is needed to identify what Provide food! Native bees thrive on group these small bees belong to. native wildflowers, so grow lots of These bees are important pollinators native plants that provide pollen and of plants with small flowers. Masked nectar. You can also put a block of bees and small carpenter bees nest wood in a stock tank or bird feeder in cavities such as dry wood. Masked giving thirsty bees a shallow pool bees look similar to wasps, and they from which to drink. Providing ex- store pollen in their stomachs. Masked cellent nesting habitat is another bees regurgitate the pollen when they way to promote more native bees. return to the nest. bright, yellow pollen. Long-horned Providing patches of undisturbed Cuckoo bees are small to medi- bees nest in the ground. Some long- bare or sparsely vegetated ground is um-sized, belong to several groups, horned bees specialize on flowers in extremely beneficial for native bees and share a similar lifestyle. Cuckoo the sunflower family. because most native bees nest in the bees are so named because they Mining bees are slender, small to ground. are pollen thieves. A female cuckoo medium-sized bees that usually have You can provide “bee hotels” bee finds and lays her eggs in a nest few hairs. Mining bees range in color by drilling different sized holes in a belonging to another bee, the host. from black to bright red to brown. block of wood, or bundling various The cuckoo bee’s young hatch, kill, Mining bees are solitary ground sizes of hollow straws to encourage and sometimes eat the host’s young, nesters, but many individuals will cavity nesting bees. You can leave and eat the pollen that was provided frequently nest close together. This plant stems in your garden, because by the female host bee. Cuckoo bees group tends to be the first bees that cavity nesting bees love nesting in are frequently wasp-like, hairless, and emerge in spring. old stalks from large perennials or in poor pollinators. These bees are rare, Small dark bees. Several groups holes in a tree stump. and seeing cuckoo bees indicates contain species that are very small Native bees work hard to pol- there are healthy populations of other (less than a quarter inch long), slender, linate native and cultivate plants. bees around. Small dark masked bee Small dark carpenter bee Small dark sweat bee Carlton V. Belton Carlton V. Belton Carlton V. Belton Carlton V. 10 BARNYARDS & BACKYARDS Early European settlers brought honey bees to the Americas for their Cuckoo bee beeswax and honey. Carlton V. Belton Carlton V. Honey bees differ from native bees in many ways: • Honey bees are social and live in hives where worker bees collect food for the colony. In contrast, most native bees are solitary or live as hermits, and female solitary bees Long-horned bee build their own nests Carlton V. Belton Carlton V. and feed their young independently. • Honey bees are well known for mak- ing large quantities of honey and beeswax that are useful to people, but most native bees do not make these substances. About 75 percent of crops are pol- flying by, you can think about all the • Honey bees are often linated by animals, and the produce work they are doing to make our food used to pollinate vari- section of grocery stores would and put your feet up while you watch ous crops in agricultural look bare without these animals. them work. settings, and native Pollinating plants is a lot of work and Check out some great region- bees pollinate flower- you will appreciate all that bees do if specific planting guides here: http:// ing plants in all types of you ever pollinate by hand. pollinator.org/guides.htm ecosystems, including We usually do not think about all Information on farming for bees: agricultural and natural the steps that occurred when we eat bit.ly/farmforbees settings. a zucchini or tomato, but we hope We’d also highly recommend a our articles makes you appreciate new book by Joseph S. Wilson and what these buzzing bees are doing in Olivia Messinger Carril called The your garden. Next time you see a bee Bees In Your Backyard. Christine Bell loves bees and is an expert in bee identification. She is studying for her master’s degree at the University of Wyoming investigating the native bees in Wyoming.

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