A Guide to Black Bees Found in Pennsylvania
As spring and summer arrive in Pennsylvania, you may start to notice more bees buzzing around outside. While some fear bees or find them a nuisance, they play an extremely important role as pollinators in ecosystems and agriculture. There are over 400 bee species native to Pennsylvania, and many of them have predominantly black coloration. Here is a guide to some of the most common black bees found in Pennsylvania and how to identify them:
Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees resemble bumblebees in size and shape, growing up to 1 inch long. They can be identified by their shiny black abdomen and thorax, often with some yellowish or white markings on the top of the thorax. Males have a yellowish face while females have a black face. Carpenter bees get their name from drilling holes in wood to make their nests, often in the eaves and trim boards of homes. The males are territorial but do not sting, while females have a stinger but are docile.
Small Carpenter Bees
A smaller relative of carpenter bees, small carpenter bees reach just 1⁄2 inch long. Their coloration is solid black with a metallic green or blue sheen. They prefer to nest in hollow plant stems and are solitary bees, though occasionally a few may share a nest. Small carpenter bees are important native pollinators of wildflowers, garden plants, and crops.
Digger Bees
Digger bees are one of the larger black bee species in Pennsylvania, growing over 1⁄2 inch long. They are very fuzzy bees, with black hair covering their entire body. Digger bees construct nest tunnels in the ground and line chambers off the tunnels with a wax-like secretion to house their larvae. They tend to nest in groups, with many tunnel entrances clustered together. Digger bees rarely sting unless provoked.
Masked Bees
Masked bees are small, slender, hairless bees around 1⁄4 inch long. Their bodies are solid matte black with distinct white and yellow facial markings, resembling a mask. They carry pollen internally rather than on their legs, enhancing their wasp-like appearance. Masked bees nest in hollow twigs and plant stems and are most active during twilight hours in spring.
Miner Bees
Growing just 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch long, miner bees are short, stout bees densely covered in black hair on the head, thorax, and abdomen. They have bright yellow-orange hair on the top of the thorax, helping distinguish them from other black bees. As their name suggests, miner bees excavate nest tunnels in soil, clay, and even mortar. They are early spring pollinators mistaken by some for bumblebees.
Polyester Bees
Polyester bees have medium-sized, elongate black bodies with some grayish or white banding on the abdomen. The thorax is fuzzy while the abdomen is more bare and shiny. They get their name from the unique polyester-like lining they deposit in their underground nests. Different polyester bee species specialize on certain flower types for pollen collection. They are crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk.
Sweat Bees
Many small sweat bee species have black bodies with a metallic sheen. Growing just 1⁄8 to 1⁄2 inch long, they are compact bees that get their name from being attracted to human perspiration. While a nuisance if you are gardening or exercising outside, sweat bees have mild stings that do not normally require medical attention. They are important native pollinators of wildflowers and crops.
In addition to recognizing physical traits, observing bee behavior can aid identification. Knowing whether a species is solitary or social, docile or defensive, and what flowers it pollinates helps distinguish black bee types. Pennsylvania’s native black bees fill diverse ecological roles while providing essential pollination services. A little knowledge about their identification and habits can help you coexist with these important insects.
Tips for Identifying Black Bees:
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Note size, from tiny masked bees to large carpenter and digger bees
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Observe amount and location of hair on head, thorax, and abdomen
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Watch for striking yellow or white facial and leg markings
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Check for metallic sheen to body coloration
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Watch nesting behavior – holes in wood, tunnels in soil, stems
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Note floral preferences and pollen collection habits
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Consider time of activity – some bees are only out at dawn/dusk
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Be aware of docile vs aggressive behavior if bee approaches
Black bees have unique habits and physical traits to help tell them apart. Watching bee behavior provides more clues to proper identification. Learning to recognize common black bees is the first step to appreciating the diversity and importance of native Pennsylvania bees.
Types of Bees in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware
That’s right, the European Honey Bee, which is also called the Western Honey Bee, is not from the United States. Just like its name suggests, it came to the United States with the first European settlers. These bees have slender bodies with black and orange-yellow stripes around their abdomen. They live in colonies of thousands of honey bees with each type of bee having a role. Each colony has one queen, male drones and female workers. The queen is in charge of having babies, and a drone’s main job is to mate with the queen. The workers take care of all of the responsibilities of managing the hive, except for reproduction. There are approximately 100 workers to one drone. The female worker is the only honey bee that will sting and usually only when provoked.
(Bombus impatiens) There are 14 species of bumble bee in Pennsylvania. The Eastern bumble bee is the most common and easy to spot. Its bodies are round, fuzzy, and black and yellow striped. They are social bees that live in small colonies nested in the ground. Their colonies have an average of 100-200 workers. The queen bumblebee is just under an inch long, and the workers (females) and drones (males) get to be about ½ of an inch long. These efficient pollinators are sometimes confused with carpenter bees. The main difference is that the abdomen of a carpenter bee is smooth and the body of an Eastern bumble bee has short fuzz. The workers will sting when threatened and are able to sting multiple times.
Eastern carpenter bees, Xylocopa virginica, are big bees that look like bumble bees. Their bodies are black and yellow and they are about ¾-inch long. The way to tell the difference is by looking at the bee’s abdomen. While bumble bees are fuzzy all over the carpenter bee abdomen is smooth. These bees live primarily in wooded areas and feed on pollen and nectar. Eastern carpenter bees are not aggressive unless they are provoked. The male, who cannot sting, will swoop as a defensive move. The female will sting and is able to sting multiple times.
(Augochlora pura) The pure green-sweat bee is easy to identify due to its iridescent metallic green body. They are tiny, measuring only . 3” on average. Their name comes from the way they look and the fact that they like salt and will often land on people to lick their sweat for it. These bees are solitary, living in rotting logs in wooded areas. The females will sting if they perceive a threat.
((Osmia) Mason bees have shiny metallic blue or green bodies with patches of fuzz. They have large wings and hairs on their hind legs. Their name comes from their use of masonry materials, like mud, to build their nests. Mason bees are solitary but they will choose to nest near other mason bees. The adult mason bee will grow to about ½ inch. Female mason bees will sting if provoked. They are prolific pollinators of spring fruits and flowers.
(Colletes inaequalis) The plasterer bee is also known as the unequal cellophane bee and the ground bee. Their name comes from the method they use to build their nests. They dig holes in the ground and line their nests with a slimy substance that looks like plastic or polyester. This keeps the walls of the nest dry. Plasterer bees have black abdomens with tan stripes, growing to about ½ inch. They are solitary bees but will nest near other plasterer bees, with groupings sometimes nearing thousands of bees. These bees are pollinators, particularly of pussy willows, red maple trees and various spring flowers. Plasterer bees are not aggressive and will not swarm.
Another name for leafcutter bees is megachile bees. They get their name from the way they build their nests. They are solitary bees who chew leaves to build nests within rotting logs or old trees. They have slender bodies with black and pale yellow stripes. They don’t use their back legs to carry pollen; instead, they use the short hairs on the stomach. These bees are small, growing to just under ½ inch. Leafcutter bees will sting but only when they perceive a threat.
(Peponapis pruinosa) The squash bee, as their name hints, is a primary pollinator of squash, pumpkins and gourds. They also have a “squashed” appearance to their black and yellow bodies. They grow to about ½ inch and have a smooth abdomen and fuzzy thorax. They do not have stingers and so do not sting. They are solitary bees and the females build their nests in the ground. Squash bees are often more active when it is dark.
(Anthophora plumipes) The hairy-footed flower bee is often confused for a bumble bee given their similarity in appearance. The hairy-footed flower bee is different from the bumble bee because it flies quickly and darts around. Also, males and females look different. Both males and females are dark brown to black with tan stripes across the abdomen. Males have reddish brown or gray hair, while females only have black or dark brown hair. They will grow to about ½ inch. Hairy-footed flower bees are solitary, building nests in spaces with clay and mud. The females will sting but only when provoked.
Signs of an Infestation
It’s likely that you have bees because there is a hive nearby or the bees are looking for a warm place to nest.
Here are the signs to look for:
- Large numbers of bees outside, close to your home. This could mean that there is a beehive close to or inside your house.
- Holes drilled in the wooden parts of your house, especially the eaves The work of carpenter bees.
- Dark stains and slight bulging of walls, ceilings or floors. This is the result of honey seeping through.
- Buzzing sounds within your walls
It is always best to be safe. Contact a pest control professional to evaluate the situation.
16 Types of Bees
FAQ
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