caterpillars may provide you with many virgin simple hairs (you need a hand lens to see this). females and the means to conduct an interest- Together with ants, bees and wasps form an ing census of male moths in your area. Place evolutionary lineage referred to by taxonomists female moths (usually distinguishable from as the aculeate, or “stinging,” Hymenoptera; males of the same species by having narrower, the stinger is called an aculeus. Among the less comb-like antennae and larger, swollen ab- aculeate hymenopterans, only females sting. domens) into small mesh or wire cages; posi- The stinger evolved from the ovipositor, or egg- tion the cages along a trail, near a forest clear- laying tube. Sonoran Desert bees range in size ing, or on your porch; then observe. If males from the world’s smallest bee, Perdita minima, of this species are about, they should find their which is less than 0.08 inches (2 mm) long, to way to the cages in short order. When do they carpenter bees (genus Xylocopa), gentle giants arrive? How abundant are they in suburban with body lengths of almost 1 ½ inches (40 areas, as compared with rural habitats? Do mm) long that can weigh almost 0.04 ounces (1 males from more than one species arrive at the g). Our native bees burrow into the ground, cre- cages? If you are interested in moth breeding, ate nests, or use abandoned tunnels inside hol- this is an excellent way to attract wild mates low, pithy, dried stems or abandoned tunnels and begin the life cycle anew. left by wood-boring beetles. A few leafcutter bees (a grouping called anthidiines) construct small pebble and resin nests attached to twigs BEES of creosotebushes and other plants. All bees are Stephen L. Buchmann herbivorous except for parasitic forms that prey 309-352 116269 4/25/00 3:45 PM Page 344 Page PM 3:45 4/25/00 116269 309-352 Order: Hymenoptera on other bees. Herbivorous bees feed on pollen, nectar, and oils offered as floral rewards by flow- Families: Andrenidae, Apidae (includes all ering plants. Bright metallic mason bees find members of the former family Anthophoridae), Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae, unoccupied beetle burrows in dead trees and Melittidae, Oxaeidae bring back mud to form partitioning cell walls between their larvae. Some bees are cleptopara- Common Sonoran Desert genera: Agapostemon, sites on other bees; cuckoo bees, for instance, Andrena, Anthidium, Anthophora, Apis, region our in bees social Highly bees Desert Sonoran our of Most sneak into the nests of other bees to lay their Ashmeadiella, Bombus, Centris, Coelioxys,and bee honey introduced the include with year, per generation one but have Colletes, Diadasia, Epeolus, Exomalopsis, bumblebees yellow eggsand whenblack thenative nestingthe femalespring isthe away,with similaremerging usually adults Halictus, Heriades, Heteranthidium, . Bumblebee to a cowbirdBombus genus laying the in an egg in another Some bird’sblooms. nest wildflower summer or Hylaeus, Megachile, Melecta, Melissodes, estab- nature, in and lettingannual are the fostercolonies mom rear 3 her chick.even or 2 Most have however, species, Nomadopsis, Nomia, Osmia, Panurginus,queen bees havealready-inseminated an solitaryby lished lifestyles life in whichtypical a females In year. per generations Peponapis, Perdita, Psithyrus, Sphecodes,in retreat Stelis,winter her act alonefrom to constructemerges who and provisionmate nests,females and but males adult history, Svastra, Tetraloniella, Triepeolus, Xenoglossa,nest mouse suitable there a arefinds alsoand semi-socialspring forms,natal suchtheir asfrom the fa- emergence after soon Xeromelecta, Xylocopa which in cavity miliar largeunderground blackother carpenteror bees (Xylocopaprovision and vari- construct Females cells. Spanish names: abeja (bee), jicote, abejorroher than larger is queen The nest. to larvae the and eggs, lay and nests (bumble bee, carpenter bee) after eggs the all lays and daughters, under- rapidly develop Bees make up a highly diverse group insmall the a initially, produced, has she cooler During ground. brood of workers. Males and Males workers. of brood usually larvae the months Sonoran Desert Region. Superficially, bees queens are produced late in late produced are queens resting a in stay (especially the parasitic bees known asthe cuckoo in and season the dia- or condition, bees) resemble some wasps, except thatmate, bees They are cycle. colony the either , at pause usually hairier and fatter, and they possessthe and spedie, - males the adult pharate the or prepupal cialized structures for carrying pollenspend back toqueens inseminated just stage pupal (the stage © their nests. Bees also have branched (plumose“hiber- )winter and fall the Martin Jeff to molt final the to prior hairs on their bodies, which distinguishesthe until ground below nating” until proper) adult the them from wasps, which have unbranched spring. next bumble beeBumblebee spring following the Farther south in Sonora, in south Farther when summer or eio(erAao) extremely Alamos), (near Mexico metamorphoses their complete they 310 AnimAls many with colonies in live bees social adults. as emerge and thousands of individuals—the so- individuals—the of thousands called “stingless bees,” in the genera the in bees,” “stingless called EHAVIOR B OCIAL S . These queens are queens . These Trigona and Melipona desert our of number small relatively A full swollen abdomens , with physogastric indi- sociality Bee social. truly are bees UC_ASDM-S2--TEXT_PT3.indd 310 9/9/15 2:18 PM of eggs. They are not able to fly once fly to able not are They eggs. of evolutionary species’ these that cates they begin laying eggs, and never leave never and eggs, laying begin they their of those from diverged have paths the colony again. Thus, these social these Thus, again. colony the some of case the In ancestors. solitary bees represent a still greater caste caste greater still a represent bees Halictidae), family (the bees sweat differentiation between queens and queens between differentiation the in females other like looks queen a workers. Stingless bees store as much as store bees Stingless workers. having in differs she though colony, as several quarts (liters) of honey in honey of (liters) quarts several as or may She ovaries. developed highly waxen storage pots that look like like look that pots storage waxen elicit that pheromones secrete not may clusters of grapes. Indigenous peoples Indigenous grapes. of clusters her in behavior grooming and feeding who find these nests within hollow within nests these find who eggs the all lays queen The daughters. trees sometimes transport the hives the transport sometimes trees colonies bee Sweat colony. the within back to their villages, where they tend they where villages, their to back few a of consisting small, usually are the bees and routinely harvest their harvest routinely and bees the hundred few a most at or dozen honey and beeswax. and honey individuals. 4 Bees 344 309-352 116269 4/25/00 3:45 PM Page 342 DISTRIBUTION flowers. Not only are we dependent There are at least 45 genera in 7 fami- upon these “forgotten pollinators” for lies, and perhaps as many as 1000 over a third of our food, but for other Africanized Bees species of bees distributed within the products as well. Cotton cloth is a SonoranThe infamous Desert Africanized bioregion. honey Unlike bee (sometimesproduct or thatpest eventuallycontrol company. results O fromften, a guard bee will mosterroneously other groups called “killerof organisms, bee”) closely bees resemblesbee pollination,bounce off and your so headare manywithout bever- stinging. This is a areother most N orthabundant American in numbers honey bees; of botheven expertsages andwarning medicines that more made bees from and otherstings may follow. Do specieshave to and examine individuals them carefully in deserts to tell and them apart.fruits andnot swatseeds. at the bees. Walk calmly out of the area. savannahs,Africanized rather honey than bees inare lowland about 10 rain- to 15 percent If you are attacked by numerous Africanized bees forests.smaller The than region other aroundsubspecies Tucson, and races of Apis and are being stung, pull your shirt or blouse over Arizonamellifera. is Tthoughthey are tocalled host “Africanized” more kinds because your face to protect your eyes. Hold your breath ofthey bees are than the hybridanywhere progeny else resultingin the from the re- Africanizedif you can and get out Beeof the area.s Unfortunately, world,lease withof pure the A. possible m. scutellata exception (the African of honey somebee) desertsinto the in forests Israel. near In the São United Paulo, Brazil, in The infamous States,1956. T therehey arrived are about in southern 5000 speciesArizona offrom MexAfricanized- honey © bees.ico in On the a earlyglobal 1990s scale, and there quickly are established feralbee closely resembles Jeff Martin approximatelycolonies in rock 25,000 outcrops, named tree species, hollows, andother sa- North butguaro it is boots. likely Inthat cities, as manyAfricanized as 40,000 bees preferenAmerican- honey differenttially nest species under exist.sheds and in streetside concretebees—even experts have to water-meter boxes. examine them closely to tell them Africanized or not, a few foraging honey bees ECOLOGY apart. Africanized or not, a few Bees,are usually a highly no successfulcause for alarm. group T hederived only true danforaging- Africanizedhoney bees are bees usually may continueno cause forto follow and try to ger is encountering an Africanized colony and from wasps, live in almost all terrestrial alarm. Thesting only you true for dangerup to ¼is mileencountering (0.4 km). Do not jump provoking it. Stimuli that alert and engage the into a swimming pool or lake to escape them. Get habitats within our region. Except for an Africanized colony. In such cases stay clear defensive guard bees are ground vibration, rapid indoors as quickly as possible; an automobile is a the parasitic cuckoo bees, all female of the colony and contact a beekeeper or pest movement, dark clothing, and the carbon dioxcontrol- company.safe retreat.