Category: Summer Bees
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Calliopsis
A group of small, compact ground-nesting bees, often with yellow face markings. In our region, two species occur, with Calliopsis andreniformis being the more widespread and abundant species by far. Look for this species in early summer in the most trampled earth you can find. They especially like dirt paths, abandoned baseball diamonds, and wetland…
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Orange-tipped wood-digger bee (Anthophora terminalis)
Apidae > Anthophora > Anthophora terminalis Orange-tipped wood-digger bee (Anthophora terminalis) is a distinctive, fast-flying solitary bee of backyards and gardens. From a distance, it resembles a bumble bee worker, but is smaller and grayer, and frequently hovers in front of tubular flowers. Its namesake orange-tipped abdomen can be hard to get a good look…
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Thistle longhorn bee (Melissodes desponsus)
Apidae > Melissodes > Melissodes desponsus Eastern thistle longhorn bee (Melissodes desponsus) can be found buried deep in the frills of a thistle. This late-summer longhorn bee is always found close to its thistle (Cirsium spp.) host plants. Females are large and robust, with a pale thorax and all-black abdomen, but don’t be fooled into…
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Hoary squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa)
Apidae > Peponapis > Peponapis pruinosa Pruinose squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa) is one of the most common vegetable garden pollinators in the northeast. With a bright orange thorax and protruding clypeus, males and females are distinctive among regional eucerines. For P. pruinosa, the early bee gets the pollen: females are active very early in the…
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Two-spotted longhorn bee (Melissodes bimaculatus)
Apidae > Melissodes > Melissodes bimaculatus Two-spotted longhorn bee (Melissodes bimaculatus) is one of the most distinctive bees in the northeast. Jet-black, with a zippy flight, and a tendency to visit common garden plants, M. bimaculatus is straightforward to find and identify in summer. Intriguingly, this species has a penchant for foraging on common agricultural…
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Campus bee (Calliopsis andreniformis)
Andrenidae > Calliopsis > Calliopsis andreniformis Campus bee (Calliopsis andreniformis) may be found nesting gregariously in early summer in well-drained, high-traffic sites like playgrounds, dirt paths, sand mines, and ball fields. Both males and females are highly distinctive and can be identified in the field through binoculars. Look for females foraging on weedy legumes like clovers.…
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Wilke’s mining bee (Andrena wilkella)
Andrenidae > Andrena > Andrena wilkella Wilke’s mining bee (Andrena wilkella) is a summer bee of lawns and farm fields. You typically find males and females foraging on clovers and vetches. A. wilkella is notable because it is active at a time of year when relatively few other Andrena are flying. It is also unusual…