Bees with white spots on their bodies can sometimes be confusing to identify correctly. While there are many bee species that have black and yellow striped bodies, some also feature white markings that can appear as spots or bands. Learning to recognize bees with white spots can help you identify species correctly and understand their habits and habitats.
Common Bees with White Spots
Here are some of the most common bees that have white spots or bands on their bodies
Orchard Mason Bee
The orchard mason bee (Osmia lignaria) is a native pollinator in North America. These bees are a metallic blue-black color with distinctive white hairs on the top of their abdomens, giving them a frosted appearance. The white spots are especially visible on the females. Orchard mason bees are important early spring pollinators for fruit trees and other flowering plants.
White-Banded Bumble Bee
Bumble bees in the subgenus Terrestris often have white tails The white-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola) also has a broad white band between its wing bases These large, fuzzy bees have black heads and yellow hairs on their thoraxes and bodies. They nest underground and are essential pollinators of crops and wildflowers.
Wool-Carder Bee
The wool-carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) is named for its behavior of scraping hairy plant fibers from leaves and flower petals to line its nest. The males have several curved white spikes on their abdomens Females have one white spot Wool-carder bees can be territorial and are drawn to plants like lamb’s ear and Stachys byzantina.
Hairy-Belted Bumble Bee
The hairy-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus) lives in mountainous regions of the western United States. They have a distinctive white tail, a black head, and a rusty red thorax covered in yellow hairs. Around the midsection is a wide hairy white belt or band, giving the bee its common name.
Identifying Features of Bees with White Spots
When trying to identify a bee species with white markings, look for key features:
-
Number of spots or bands – Some have a single spot while others have multiple bands
-
Body shape and size – Compare fuzziness, girth, etc.
-
Color variations – Take note of any stripes, in addition to black, white and yellow
-
Behavioral clues – Nesting habits, food sources, aggression or docility
-
Geographic location – Many species have specific regional habitats
Getting a close look and knowing what features to focus on will help you correctly identify different bees with white spots that you encounter. Understanding their roles as pollinators and habitat needs is also useful. If you can identify the species, you can better support these important garden visitors.
Carpenter Bee Quick Facts
Color: Primarily black with shiny abdomens (not hairy). Males are orange and black, while females are completely black. Number of Legs: SixShape: OvalAntennae: YesRegion: All continents except Antarctica. Carpenter bees can be found all over the United States. The eastern carpenter bee, which is the most common type, can be found as far south as Florida and as far north as Maine.
What is a carpenter bee?
Twenty thousand species of bees are divided into nine families. These families can be further broken down into three main groups based on the length of the bee’s tongue, or proboscis. Carpenter bees are classified as long-tongued bees (apidae), and are largely solitary insects. The carpenter bee is the largest native bee in the United States, along with the bumble bee. This bee gets its name from the way it nests, which is to dig and burrow into hard things like bamboo or wood. Carpenter bees are great at pollinating many of the flowering plants in our gardens, on farms, and in natural areas. According to Penn State Extension, 15% of our agricultural crops are pollinated by native bees like the Carpenter bee.
White spots on bees head and thorax
FAQ
What kind of bee has white spots?
Do mason bees sting?
Do white face carpenter bees sting?
Is a carpenter bee aggressive?
What do white spotted black bees look like?
The white-spotted black bees measure 0.47” to 0.55” (12 – 14 mm) long. Other identifying features of the black and white square-spotted mourning bee are its translucent dark brown pair of wings, thick, black antennae, and kidney-shaped black compound eyes.
Why am I getting white spots the size of moles on my arms?
These spots can be due to a condition called as idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, which is caused due to uv radiation exposure. Usual presentation is the appearance of white, smooth, unsymptomatic spots over arms and legs. Your dermatologist might suggest cryotherapy, chemical peels, or topical steroids — but success is limited. The best way is to prevent further spots from developing by using a sunscreen whenever you go out in sun.
How do you spot a bee?
As you’ll see below, you can spot specific types of bees by the presence, absence or color of its hairs. Bees have large, well-separated eyes. These are known as compound eyes, which help the bees see shapes and objects. Did You Know? Bees also have three other ‘simple’ eyes on their heads which are used for navigation and orientation.
Do black and white bees sting?
Bees that are black and white can sometimes sting. They prefer to sting when threatened. Most black and white bees don’t sting, however. Bees of this color combination tend to live solitary lives and they rarely interact with humans. Even kleptoparasitic bees might deter from stinging people if not roughly handled.
Do bees have black and white hairs?
Most black and white bees are dominantly-black. Some only have white hairs on the thorax or the abdomen. Other bees have a more balanced black and white representation, mainly in the form of alternating black and white bands. These bands are mostly seen on the abdomen but they can also be visible on the thorax of certain bee species.
Where do black and white bees live?
Black and white bees live in various parts of the US. They are part of various species from honey-making bees to kleptoparasitic bees. Black and white coloring are atypical in the world of bees which are mostly known for being black and yellow.