Mason bees do not create holes, they only find existing holes made by beetles, humans, etc. They lay their eggs in small holes or tunnels.Super efficient pollinators – one Mason Bee can pollinate as many plants as 500 European honeybees!.Mason bees are some of the best plant pollinators around! Mason Bee Facts: Their entire bodies are often covered in pollen!.Look for black body that can have a metallic sheen.They blow European Honeybees away with their pollinating efficiency. Mason bees are super pollinators, visiting up to 2,000 plants in a single day! You want these guys in your yard. Bumblebees love this plant!īumblebees are some of the largest native Texas bees you’ll see in your garden. Plant native Salvias, especially Mealy Blue Sage.They pollinate by “buzz pollination.” They vibrate their wing muscles to release pollen.They are generalist pollinators, meaning they will visit a variety of flowering plants.The Bumblebee Queens emerge first in early spring to secure a nest site.However, there are only around 500 bees in a bumblebee hive (vs. Similar to honeybees, they are social bees that live in hives.Lots of hair on top and back of abdomen.Īmerican Bumblebees pollinate flowers using “buzz pollination”.Large hairy bodies with dark black and yellow stripes.My favorite bee is this native species – the fuzzy Bumblebee! How to Identify American Bumblebees: Here are 5 common native bee species you’ll see in Texas: 1. If that plant species would disappear, so would the bee species that pollinate it. Around 30% are specialist pollinators, meaning they only pollinate a specific native plant species.They use the pollen from foraging to feed their larvae. Their looks can vary drastically by the type of bee. Since they don’t defend a nest, you are much less likely to get bee stings from them. Most native bees don’t sting! Most are solitary bees, meaning they live on their own.The European Honeybee gets all the attention, but the native bees are where it’s at! There are over 4,000 species of bees native to North America, and over 800 bee species in the state of Texas. Unlike most native bees, honeybees are social insects that live in a hive. The “Killer Bee” name comes from their propensity to be more aggressive stingers. They are nearly identical to European Honeybees. They are found throughout southern United States and came to Texas in 1990s. Honeybees collect pollen on their hind legs to take to the nest site to feed their babiesĪlso called “Killer Bees,” Africanized Bees are a hybrid between European / Western Honey Bee and Africanized bees from Brazil.A single colony contains large numbers of bees – between 20,000-80,000 bees in a hive!.A honeybee colony consists of worker bees / scout bees (females), drones (males), and a Queen bee.These are the bees that tend to sting – they sting because they are protecting their colony!.Lots of different subspecies – it turns out Italian Honey Bees are the preferred bee of commercial beekeepers.Look for legs hanging below them as they flay.Medium-sized bees that are slow flying. European honeybees are some of the most well-known bees, but they are not native to Texas. They tend to have golden-yellow, hairy bodies with brown bands on their abdomen. European HoneybeeĪlso called Western Honey Bees, European Honey Bees are the bee I most commonly spot here in San Antonio. They are important pollinators, however honeybees can negatively impact native bee species by increasing competition for forage. They were introduced to North American in the 16th century to help pollinate crops. These frequent garden visitors are not Texas natives. Let’s start with the ubiquitous honeybee, because that is the one you are most likely to think of when a bee comes to mind. Learn About More Texas Insects and Wildlife!.Download the Free PDF: 10 Native Bees & Wasps.
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