Explore species accounts for over 50 field-identifiable bees in the northeast. This list is constantly growing as we learn how to identify new bees in the field.
| Scientific name | Common name | Phenology | Habitat | Forage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agapostemon virescens | Bicolored striped-sweat bee | May-Sep | Widespread, backyards, cities | Generalist, Asteraceae |
| Agapostemon sericeus | Silky striped-sweat bee | May-Sep | Widespread, backyards, cities | Generalist |
| Agapostemon splendens | Brown-winged sweat bee | May-Sep | Sand | Generalist, Asteraceae |
| Andrena dunningi | Dunning’s mining bee | Apr-May | Widespread, backyard | Generalist |
| Andrena carlini/regularis | Carlin’s/regular mining bee | Mar-Jun | Widespread, backyard | Generalist |
| Andrena erigeniae | Spring beauty mining bee | Apr-May | Deciduous forest | Spring beauty Claytonia spp. |
| Andrena bradleyi | Bradleyi’s mining bee | Mar-May | Forests and sand | Ericaceae, esp. blueberry Vaccinium spp. |
| Andrena frigida | Frigid mining bee | Mar-May | Deciduous forest | Willow Salix |
| Andrena wilkella | Wilke’s mining bee | Jun-Jul | Weedy fields and roadsides | exotic Fabaceae |
| Andrena nubecula | Cloudy-winged mining bee | Aug-Sep | Forests and forest edges | Asteraceae |
| Andrena hirticincta | Hairy-banded mining bee | Aug-Sep | Widespread, backyard | Asteraceae |
| Andrena asteris | Aster mining bee | Aug-Oct | Widespread, backyard | Asteraceae |
| Anthidiellum notatum | Northern rotund-resin bee | Jul-Aug | Sand | Fabaceae |
| Anthidium manicatum | European woolcarder bee | May-Sep | Widespread, disturbed areas | Generalist, exotic Lamiaceae |
| Anthidium oblongatum | Oblong woolcarder bee | May-Sep | Widespread, disturbed areas | Generalist, exotic Fabaceae |
| Anthophora terminalis | Orange-tipped wood-digger bee | May-Aug | Backyards, forest edges | Generalist, long-tongued |
| Anthophora abrupta | Abrupt digger bee | Jun-Jul | Meadows, forest edges | Generalist |
| Apis mellifera | European honey bee | Mar-Oct | Not wild | Generalist |
| Bombus impatiens | Common eastern bumble bee | Apr-Oct | Widespread | Generalist |
| Bombus bimaculatus | Two-spotted bumble bee | Apr-Jul | Forests, backyards | Generalist |
| Bombus griseocollis | Brown-belted bumble bee | Apr-Aug | Meadows, cities | Generalist |
| Bombus fervidus | Golden northern bumble bee | Apr-Sep | Meadows, cities | Generalist, long-tongued |
| Bombus borealis | Northern amber bumble bee | Apr-Sep | Forests, forest edges | Generalist, long-tongued |
| Bombus pensylvanicus | American bumble bee | May-Aug | Meadows | Generalist, long-tongued |
| Bombus auricomus | Black-and-gold bumble bee | May-Aug | Meadows, cities | Generalist, long-tongued |
| Bombus ternarius | Tricolored bumble bee | Apr-Sep | Backyards, forest edges | Generalist |
| Bombus vagans/Bombus sandersoni | Half-black bumble bee/Sanderson’s bumble bee | Apr-Sep | Forests | Generalist |
| Bombus perplexus | Perplexing bumble bee | Apr-Aug | Forests | Generalist |
| Holcopasites calliopsidis | Calliopsis-cuckoo nomad bee | Jun-Aug | Dry, compact soils near host | Weedy legumes and asters |
| Calliopsis andreniformis | Campus bee | Jun-Jul | Dry, compact soils | Generalist, but favors Fabacaeae |
| Coelioxys dolichos | Jun-Aug | Widespread, gardens, tied to host | Generalist, esp. Asteraceae, mountain mint Pycnanthemum | |
| Colletes inaequalis | Unequal cellophane bee | Mar-May | Sand | Generalist |
| Colletes validus | Blueberry cellophane bee | Apr-Jun | Sand near host plants | Ericaceae, esp. Vaccinium |
| Colletes thoracicus | Rufous-chested cellophane bee | May-Jun | Sand | Generalist |
| Habropoda laboriosa | Blueberry digger bee | Apr-Jun | Sand | Ericaceae, but also Cercis and Prunus |
| Halictus ligatus/ Halictus poeyi | Ligated/Poey’s furrow bee | May-Sep | Widespread, backyards | Generalist, esp. Asteraceae |
| Halictus rubicundus | Orange-legged furrow bee | May-Sep | Widespread, backyards | Generalist |
| Halictus confusus | Confusing furrow bee | May-Sep | Widespread, backyards | Generalist, esp. Fabaceae |
| Megachile pugnata | Pugnacious leafcutter bee | Jul-Aug | Widespread, gardens, backyards | Asteraceae, esp. Helianthus |
| Megachile xylocopoides | Carpenter leafcutter-mimic bee | Jun-Aug | Widespread, gardens, backyards (mainly SE U.S.) | Asteraceae |
| Megachile sculpturalis | Sculptured resin bee | Jun-Sep | Widespead, gardens, backyards | Generalized |
| Ptilothrix bombiformis | Hibiscus turret bee | Jul-Aug | Wetlands, cities | Malvaceae |
| Melissodes bimaculatus | Two-spotted longhorn bee | Jun-Aug | Widespread, backyards | Generalist |
| Melissodes desponsus | Thistle longhorn bee | Jul-Aug | Meadows, forest edges | Thistles Cirsium |
| Melissodes druriellus | Drury’s longhorn bee | Aug-Sep | Meadows, forest edges | Asteraceae |
| Melissodes trinodis / Melissodes agilis | Sunflower longhorn bee | Jun-Aug | Widespread, backyards | Asteraceae, esp. Helianthus |
| Osmia bucephala | Bufflehead mason bee | May-Jun | Forest, forest-edges, gardens | Generalized, long-tongued |
| Osmia cornifrons/Osmia taurus | Horn-faced mason bee | Mar-May | Widespread, disturbed areas | Generalized, esp. exotic trees and shrubs |
| Paranthidium jugatorium | Sunflower burrowing-resin bee | Jun-Aug | Forest edges, gardens | Asteraceae, esp. Helianthus |
| Peponapis pruinosa | Pruinose squash bee | Jun-Aug | Agricultural lands, gardens | Cucurbita |
| Perdita octomaculata | Eight-spotted fairy bee | Aug-Oct | Sand | Asteraceae, esp. Solidago |
| Pseudoanthidium nanum | European small-woolcarder bee | Jun-Sep | Disturbed areas, cities | Asteraceae |
| Stelis louisae | Louisana painted-dark bee | Jun-Aug | Widespread, tied to host | Generalist, esp. Asteraceae |
| Triepeolus lunatus | Lunate longhorn-cuckoo | Jun-Aug | Widespread, tied to host | Generalist, favors Asteraceae |
| Triepeolus remigatus | Squash longhorn-cuckoo | Jun-Aug | Widespread, tied to host | Generalist, favors Asteraceae |
| Xylocopa virginica | Eastern carpenter bee | Apr-Sep | Widespread | Generalist |