Mining Bees

I found large numbers of mining bees digging near the Susquehanna River and found this info on University of Rhode Island’s website. Solitary bees! Who would have guessed that not every bee is part of a hive.

Mining bees, or digger bees, (familys Andrenidae & Anthophoridae) nest in burrows in the ground. Unlike the honey bee, mining bees are “solitary” bees. They do not form long-lived colonies, nor do they live inside a single, well-defended nest controlled by one queen bee. Instead, each mining bee female usually digs her own individual burrow to rear her own young. Large numbers of these bees may nest near one another if soil conditions are suitable.

Visit URI website to read more.

May 22, 2009