Tips on Using a Native Bee Collection at a Public Event By Addison DeBoer and Andony Melathopoulos, Oregon State University Extension Native Bee Displays: Each Oregon Bee Atlas team will get a wooden display box with bees grouped by Family and Genus. These boxes cannot be shipped, so need to be transferred when Rich, Sarah or Andony travel to your community. You will be given a basic complement of bees that you can supplement as you gather your own specimens. The base case will contain specimens from the following groups: Family: genus Colletidae: Hylaeus Halictidae: Agapostemon, Halictus, Lasioglossum Apidae: Ceratina, Bombus, Nomada, Melissodes, Apis mellifera Megachilidae: Osmia, Stelis, Heriades, Megachile, Anthidium Andrenidae: Andrena Bee look-alikes: flies, wasps The following manual will provide you with tips on how to use these displays for public tabling events. Activities are broken up into short “attention getters” that are designed to get people interested at high volume events and “longer conversations” if you end up with someone with a lot more interest. Also, included are some natural history notes on all the bees, so you can dive in a little deeper if you have someone who is keen. Attention-getters (10 second conversation): 1. Most bees are like gophers, 70% of all bees live in the ground: • Point to Andrena and the Hallitcitidae as two families that nest almost exclusively underground – these two families make up the bulk of Oregon bees. 2. Hylaeus secrete cellophane-like material to line their nest cells • Point out that bees line their nests to protect their young from the environment, but also from parasites – the pollen ball they collect is a valuable resource. • You can say these bees are very small • Say they are pretty common on goldenrod in late summer • They also nest in hollowed out twigs – you can ask people where they might be nesting in the area where you are tabling at 3. Do you know which one of these bees make honey? • Apis mellifera • You can also say bumble bees also store nectar. • But you can go in to say that only honey bees store nectar long term • Stored nectar (honey) is the reason why honey bees are the only bees that will fly to flowers in mid-winter – unlike the other bees, honey bees don’t hibernate because they have a carbohydrate source for the winter. 4. Did you know that only honey bees die after they sting once? Most other bees and wasps can sting multiple times. • The key message is that bees rarely sting. Most stings come from social wasps. Most solitary bees rarely if ever sting. 5. Have you ever seen a green bee? • Everyone should at least have a metallic sweat bee - Agapostemon , but you might want to also show the darker metallic Osmia. • Point out that metallic sweat bees are quite common and they will see them all year long – encourage them to try and find one this month in their garden. Longer conversational facts (30 second conversation): 1. Native Bees and Honey Bees a. Do you know how most bees are different from honey bees? Ways most bees differ from honey bees (Apis mellifera): • Most bees do not live in hives but individually and more than 70% live in the ground; • Most bees are not social and do not have hives; • Most bees never meet their young; • Only honey bees make and eat honey—other bees eat nectar and pollen (bumble bees are somewhat inbetween – their “honey” doesn’t get as dry as true honey and is meant for short- term supply) • Honey bees can only sting once • Honey bees dance to communicate the location of flowers to other bees, called the “waggle dance” 2. Natural history a. Bees that live underground: Agapostemon, Halictus, Lasioglossum, Melissodes, Andrena b. Bees that are social and have a division of labor: Apis mellifera, Bombus, some Halictidae c. Bees that live above-ground in abandoned beetle burrows in wood or hollow stems : Osmia, Heriades, Anthidium, Megachile d. Cuckoo bees: Stelis sneak into Osmia nests and take over; Nomada are a kleptoparasite of Andrena e. Nest in pithy wood or twigs: Ceratina, Hylaeus 3. What are the differences between bees, wasps, and flies? a. How are flies different than bees? • Usually flies only have two wings, while bees have four. • Flies have shorter antennae and bigger eyes and don’t have thick tufts of stiff hairs on legs or bellies. • Bees have longer antennae that are widely spaced. b. How can you tell if something is a bee or a wasp? • Wasps will get some of their protein from eating other insects or rotting meat, while bees get all their protein from pollen (bees are vegetarian wasps). • Bees are usually hairier • No bees have skinny-waists like some wasps • The hind legs of wasps are typically slender and dangle when they fly. • Social wasp wings (e.g., hornets and yellowjackest) run parallel to their sides rather than overlapping on their back when they are closed. 4. What bees are you likely to see this month? a. Bees that are likely active in Oregon: b. January-February: Apis mellifera – they are the only bee you see year round c. March: Bombus, Ceratina d. April: Osmia, Andrena, Ceratina, Lasioglossum e. May: Osmia, Ceratina, Eucera, Hylaeus, Halictus, Lasioglossum, Megachile, Bombus, Apis mellifera, Agapostemon, Anthidium, Andrena, f. June: Ceratina, Hylaeus, Halictus, Lasioglossum, Megachile, Bombus, Apis mellifera, Agapostemon, Anthidium, Andrena g. July: Ceratina, Halictus, Lasioglossum, Megachile, Bombus, Apis mellifera, Agapostemon, Heriades h. August: Apis mellifera, Ceratina, Megachile, Heriades, Melissodes, Lasioglossum i. September: Apis mellifera, Ceratina, Lasioglossum, Melissodes Genus March April May June July August September Andrena X X X Anthidium X X Hylaeus X X Colletes X X X Agapostemon X X X Halictus X X X Lasioglossum X X X X X X Osmia X X Heriades X X Anthidium X X X Megachile X X X X Ceratina X X X X X X X Melissodes X X Bombus X X X X X Apis mellifera X X X X X X X 5. Great Bee Plants (Illustrated): a. California Lilac (Ceanothus spp.) attracts Halictids, Andrenids, Hylaeus, Osmia b. Phacelia (Phacelia spp.) attracts Ceratina, Xylocopa, Osmia, Andrenid c. Common Sunflower (Helianthus annus) attracts Agapostemon, Melissodes, Halictids, Megachilids, and other native bees d. Bigleaf Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) attracts bumble bees and other native pollinators e. To attract many bees, plant many types of plants, especially native ones and avoid using pesticides as often as you can f. Other Plants that Attract Pollinators: • Cosmos (Cosmos) • Willows (Salix spp.) • Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) • Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) • Sage (Salvia) Families (for longer conversations): 1. Andrenidae: mining bees, nest in ground with aggregations or communally a. Largest of the bee families, all nest in the ground, line their nests with wat erproof substance to protect offspring from moisture and bacteria; one s pecies survived under water in seasonal lake bed b. Some solitary, some aggregate, some nest communally and form individual tunnels c. Andrenidae has large range in sizes, this family includes Perdita which can be less than 0.1 inches d. Andrena • Important for success of commercial crops including blueberries, cranberries, and apples • Some Andrena generalists, some specialize in sunflowers, trees like maples (Acer) or willows (Salix) • 0.30 inches – 0.60 inches, small to medium bees • One of the earliest bees to emerge in the Spring, season lasts roughly from April to June • About 550 species in US 2. Colletidae: a. All Colletidae are solitary nesters, no sociality, but some form nest aggregations b. Hylaeus • Nest in twigs and hollow stems, secrete chemicals from base of mandibles to help prevent spread of bacteria and fungi in nest; chemicals smell like citrus; cellophane-like material • Look bald, not very hairy • Only native bee genus in Hawaii • All are generalists, eat and regurgitate pollen and nectar, do not carry externally • Mostly active May – June • 0.20 – 0.30 inches, small bees • About 20 species in Northwest c. Colletes • Nest in ground, line tunnels with cellophane-like lining, can form nest aggregations • Many are plant specialists and specialize in plant families like Fabaceae or Asteraceae • Mostly active May – July • 0.20 – 0.80 inches, mostly medium to large size bees • About 21 species in Northwest 3. Halictidae: a. Differing social behaviors between genus, but nest almost exclusively in the ground with interconnecting tunnels b. Agapostemon: • Bright metallic green sweat bee • Not attracted to human sweat, but closely related to sweat bees (Halictus and Lasioglossum) • Nest in ground, usually solitary and not often in aggregations • All generalists, frequently seen on sunflower family, Asteraceae • Mostly active May – July • 0.30 – 0.60 inches • About 5 species in Northwest 1. Agapostemon spp. • All Agapostemon males are black and yellow striped. • Most females are all green 2. Agapostemon virescens • Only female in Oregon black with gray striped abdomen. c. Halictus: • Sweat bees, similar to Lasioglossum • Can be solitary or social depending on the environment; colonies up to 200 females; all females can take over the role of queen if she dies, more unpredictable weather results in more communal behavior • Nest in ground • All are generalists • Mostly active from May – July • Medium-sized bees, 0.30 – 0.50 inches • About 50 species in Northwest 1. Halictus ligatus (very common) 2. Halictus farinosus (very common) d. Lasioglossum: • Largest bee genus • Called “sweat bees” because they seek out sweltering humans and lick it off them. Nobody knows for sure why, but sweat is high in salt, which they may need. • Nest in ground, a few species nest in rotting wood, diversity of social behaviors • Most generalists • Long range, from early spring to fall, mostly active May – June, but can be seen March -- September • Very small, ranging from less than 0.10 inch to 0.50 inches • Roughly 70 species in the US and Canada 4.