When most people think of bees, they picture the cute yellow fuzz and the soft humming sound they make as they go from flower to flower collecting sap and pollinating plants. Bees are also famous for making honey, poisoning with a single sting, and building their homes in the air, called beehives or nests. But what sometimes put a few people in disbelief is the unorthodox ground bee. Many places in Pennsylvania are home to ground bees. Because of this, we at Stewart Termite
Ground bees are an important yet often overlooked group of native pollinators in Pennsylvania. These insects belong to several genera within the bee families Andrenidae, Halictidae, and Colletidae. While the name may conjure up images of stinging pests, learning more about ground bees reveals their vital ecological roles.
What Are Ground Bees?
Ground bees construct their nests underground, excavating individual tunnels in the soil or sandy embankments. The female bees provision the nests with pollen and nectar to feed their offspring. Species in Pennsylvania include:
- Mining bees (Andrena spp.)
- Sweat bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp.)
- Cellophane bees (Colletes spp.)
Unlike social bees, ground bees are solitary nesters Each female builds and provisions her own nest without cooperative brood care However, some species may nest in high density aggregations.
Ground bees emerge as early as March and remain active through fall. Their seasons often do not overlap much with honey bees. Thus native ground bees provide essential pollination services, especially for spring wildflowers and trees.
Benefits of Ground Bees
While mining, sweat and cellophane bees do not produce honey, they offer other advantages
- Pollination: Ground bees are excellent native pollinators. They visit a diversity of wild and crop flowers.
- Pest control: Ground bee larvae feed on insect pests that live underground. The bees’ nest tunnels also aerate the soil.
- No hive defense: Ground bees rarely sting since they don’t have a communal nest to protect. Males cannot even sting.
- Garden enhancement: Watching the bees flying low and fast above the ground is entertainment for gardeners. Seeing nest site activity indicates a healthy yard ecosystem.
Supporting Ground Bee Populations
To make your landscape more ground bee-friendly:
- Maintain areas of exposed, undisturbed soil.
- Avoid completely mulching gardens; leave some bare ground.
- Plant native wildflowers that provide pollen and nectar. Choose diverse bloom times.
- Reduce pesticide use which can harm bees as well as eliminate their food sources.
- Leave fallen leaves for nest building materials and winter refuge.
- Support conservation efforts to protect natural bee habitats like meadows.
Taking small steps to accommodate ground bees will attract these essential pollinators to your property. Their presence contributes to the larger interconnected ecosystem. Observing and learning about life underground provides a new perspective on your garden.
Ground bees are a fascinating and hugely beneficial group of native pollinators in Pennsylvania. By better understanding their habits and habitats, we can support these species through gardening choices and conservation. Simple practices like leaving exposed ground and growing native plants make a difference. Boosting populations of mining, sweat, and cellophane bees will aid broader ecosystem health.
Are Ground Bees Solitary?
As long as it’s not mating season, ground bee females stay by themselves. However, they can often be found living close to each other. There is no queen, worker bees, or soldiers in this colony; there is only one female building her nest in the ground. When she mates, she takes care of her young until they become adults, and then they continue their circle of life. The female bees come out to get nectar and pollen for themselves and their young, but the males are left alone. Being beneficial to pollinating plants, farmers will often raise them to aid them with their crops.
What Does a Bees Nest in the Ground Look Like?
Generally, ground bee species have many similarities. They are all approximately the same size, measuring at ½”-1” long. Ground bees come in a wide range of colors. Some are usually yellow and black, while others are blue, purple, red, or green, and their bodies often have a metallic sheen to them. The ant-like mounds in the ground are often what catch your eye. Their entrance hole is just a bit bigger than the average ant hill. In the spring, males can often be seen looking through the nesting mounds for a possible mate. From March – May, ground bees are actively mating.
what is the difference between yellow jackets, “ground bees” and ground nesting bees?
FAQ
What bees nest in the ground in PA?
Are ground bees aggressive?
What kind of bees stay on the ground?
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Species
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Appearance
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Andrenid Bees
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Small to medium-sized, often dark with a metallic sheen
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Colletid Bees (Plasterer Bees)
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Small, black or dark, shiny appearance
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Halictid Bees (Sweat Bees)
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Varies from metallic green to dull black
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Bumblebees
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Large, robust, fuzzy
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Are bees endangered in Pennsylvania?
At least 13% of the bee species in the state have not been recorded in the past 18 years. These species may be rare or could be in decline. One species of potential conservation concern has not been detected in Pennsylvania since 1911: Epeoloides pilosulus, a cuckoo bee that parasitizes bees in the genus Macropis.
Which bees use different nesting strategies in Pennsylvania?
Examples of bees that use different nesting strategies in Pennsylvania: (A) a female solitary ground-nesting mining bee in the genus Andrena, (B) a female sweat bee in the tribe Augochlorini at the entrance of its nest in decaying wood, and
Are rusty patched bumble bees endangered in Pennsylvania?
One species of potential conservation concern has not been detected in Pennsylvania since 1911: Epeoloides pilosulus, a cuckoo bee that parasitizes bees in the genus Macropis. An endangered species, the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), was last recorded in 2006.
Are ground bees a pest?
Ground bees tunnel into dry soil to create underground nests about 6” (15 cm) long where they raise their young. Despite these solitary bees being beneficial to the ecosystem and biodiversity, many gardeners view ground bees as pests. Ground nesting bees can create dirt piles in lawns, spoiling the look of lush turfgrass.