Types of Bees

 

Lets face it there are ALOT of bees! Which are honey bees? There are so many! If you see a bee on a flower what kind is it?  Well good thing you are here I'm going to be breaking it  down for you. I'm breaking down the top 6 Bees you might see in your yard that may look like honey Bees. 

Bumblebees 

In the US there are 49 different species of Bumblebees. these fluffy balls are larger then your average honeybee. Bumblebees are pollinators they are vital for some native wildflowers and veggies like tomatoes. Bumblebees can sting but tend not to unless to close to their nest. 

Carpenter bees 

Definitely not a crowd favorite  because of they bore holes into wood. on the Brightside they are perfect holes. but what we don't see is that within those holes the female is laying her eggs. Many find Carpenter bees tend to be much larger then a bumble bee they also can be identified by their bald smooth abdomen. Carpenter bees are very territorial and are always looking for a fight but don't fear the males do not have stingers. 

 Mason bees

These little bees tend to be smaller then honey bees. they range in a whole bunch of colors like metallic green or blue. they are very efficient pollinators. Did you know that you can house Mason bees here are some of my favorite Mason bee houses. 

Blueberry bees 

These tiny bees look like the size of a Honeybee or a small Bumble bee. Due to their name I'm sure you are not surprised to hear that they love to pollinate blueberries. They can sting but try really hard not to. 

Sweat bees 

Sweat bees are the tiniest of the bunch were talking about in this section. They love to pollinate in late October to even November! Crazy right! Sweat bees range in colors such as green, blue metallic to even black. These tiny bees can sting but tend not to. 

 Honey bees 

Honey bees are key pollinators. their coloring. there are no native Honey bees to the United States they were brought over from Europe because of their job to pollinate crops and flowers. Most of these Honeybees do live in a manmade hive . Due to the love for their Honey. Their are all different kinds of Honeybees native to different areas around the world. 

Their are many other bees to talk about but here are some you may see in your Garden. yes bees do sting but they are key for our environment so try your hardest not to hurt them. Some ways to have bees not to sting you if you are in that situation. 

    1. Hold your breath- bees are attracted to the CO2 that you breathe out. 

    2. Do not swat at the bees- Yes this goes against every fight or flight feeling in your body but do now swat the bees away this will only make them even more aggressive. 

    3. Walk away slowly-  Taking yourself out of the situation is the best way to avoid being stung. 

Want to read more?  This is a great blog to get more information. 

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