Bees are very important to us; it’s not hyperbole to say that we could not live without them. Without them and other essential pollinators, 90% of the world’s food would cease to exist. One-third of the world’s food production depends on bees alone! And because of all the pesticides used in lawn care and gardening, … Read more
Growing plants like coneflowers, milkweed, bee balm and other pollinator-friendly plants in your yard is a great start. Take the next step this fall and make a home for Minnesota’s native bees. This will make your yard pollinator-friendly all year. Ground bees are a frequent sight in backyards and gardens across Minnesota from early spring … Read more
Like most hive pests, including wax moths and small hive beetles, ants are opportunists. If you find ants in your beehive, it could mean that there are other issues going on. Ants tend to stay away from strong, healthy colonies. Most ant species are a mere annoyance in the hive. Often, they raise their young … Read more
Aggressive Bees in Michigan: How to Identify and Avoid Them Bees play an important role in Michigan’s ecosystem and agriculture but some species can become aggressive and pose a risk to humans. Understanding which bees tend to be more defensive, why they act aggressively and how to avoid provoking them is key to coexisting safely. … Read more
You can use these links to my favorite bee ID charts and other tools to help you find the different kinds of bees. There are even a couple of downloadable books and papers. But it can be hard to tell the difference between the species of bees, so you might want to look at my … Read more
There may be a honey bee nest on your property if you’ve seen a lot of honey bees. These nests are often hidden, and can be a bit difficult to find. Wondering where bees are most likely to nest? Here are 5 common places: Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are extremely versatile when it comes to … Read more
The half black bumble bee (Bombus vagans) is a very common species found throughout Wisconsin and much of North America. It plays an important role as a pollinator in natural and agricultural ecosystems. This medium-sized bee has some distinctive markings that make it easy to identify. Let’s take a closer look at the biology, behavior, … Read more
Honey bees are extremely important pollinators that are also capable of stinging and damaging homes by building hives in walls or attics. While extermination is undesirable, controlling honey bee pests around the home is sometimes necessary. This requires an integrated pest management (IPM) approach using prevention, targeted hive removal, and bee-safe controls. Understanding Honey Bee … Read more
As a longtime resident of California I’ve always been fascinated by the diversity of bumble bees buzzing around my garden. While the large fuzzy black and yellow bumble bees are familiar to most, California is actually home to several species of predominantly black bumble bees that are lesser known but just as important. In this … Read more
Have you seen bees around your house that aren’t the typical bumblebee color scheme? Instead, they’re almost entirely black. These are carpenter bees, and like carpenter ants, they may be up to no good around your house. Let’s learn a little more about them and how you can avoid any problems. Have you spotted a … Read more