SteveNanz

SeanMcCann

SeanMcCann

Wikipedia

LynetteSchimming

Xylocopa

Ceratina

DennisBriggs

SteveNanz

ScottFamous

©standingoutinmyfield

Femaleparasiticbeesinvadenestsofotherbeestolayeggsonthefoodstoredbythehost.Thesekleptoparasitelarvaeconsumeallthefood(pollen).

Long-hornedbees(Apidae) aresolitarybutmaynestinlargegroupsintheground.GuesswhyMelissodes iscalledalong-hornedbee!

Carpenterbees (Apidae)aresolitarybutcanlivewithsistersordaughters.Femalesboreholesinwood&partitionnestswithwoodchips.Territorialmalesmayflyatyoubutcan’tsting.

Bumblebees (Apidae)areground-nesters;theycanforage> 1kmaway.

Plastererbees(Colletidae)chewleavesintospitballstoplastertheirnestsinpithystems.

Sweatbees(Halictidae)arecommon.Mostareground-nesterslikeAgapostemon &Lasioglossum.Femalescanmakeindividualcellsincommunallynests.Othersarecavitynesters.They’recalledsweatbeesbecausetheylicksaltfromsweat.

Masonbees(Megachilidae)aresolitaryanddocile;nestingincavities,stemsorsnailshells!Femalesmakemudwallsbetweenbroodcellsandmudpackstosealtheirnest.

Gardeners/farmersusemasonbeeslikeOsmia to

pollinatecrops.Somerearthemcommercially.

T'aiRoulston

Leafcutterbees(Megachilidae)pollinatewell;onebeecanpollinateasmuchalfalfaas20honeybees.Theylinecavitynestswithpiecesofleavesorpetals.

©Chris Worden

TheJhaLabhasbeenstudyingnativepollinatorssince2012.Researchershaveidentifiedhundredsoutofthe~800beespeciesand6familiesfoundinTexas.

About20,000nativebeespecieshavebeendescribed aroundtheworld!

Discoverlife.org

CharlesSchurchLewallen

MiningBees(Andrenidae)aresolitarybees.Mostbuildundergroundnests:asmallentranceleadstoabranchedtunnelcontaininganegg.

©BruceLund2012

LaurelTreviño,SarahCusserS.JhaLab– IntegrativeBiologyhttp://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/jha

WinklerFamilyFoundation

Bombus

Colletes

Megachile

Coelioxys

Agapostemon

Lasioglossum

Eggonpollenball

Some(Melittidae)beeslikeHesperapis,collectplantoilsindryclimates.