| MINING BEES IN GENERAL |
| Mining Bees are stout, quite hairy bees usually in the
10 to 15 mm (⅜ to ⅝ in.) range. They are typically brown, tending to
reddish or blackish brown. They may have pale white, yellow or gold
hairs. The thorax is very hairy and abdomen is somewhat flattened and
may be bare of have bands of hair. Pollen is collected in dense fringes
on the hind legs. Some resemble Honey Bees. The two sutures below each
antenna, rather than one is the best way to distinguish these bees from
others, but of course you need to get a good, close look at the face to
do that! |
| -information provided by weaselhead.org |
| WHERE FOUND |
| Like bees in general, Mining Bees are found wherever
flowers are abundant. These bees are often numerous in spring. These
bees nest in the ground, and while each is solitary, they sometimes form
large aggregations. Each bee has her own tunnel system and tends her own
brood. She provisions her offspring with pellets made of a mixture of
pollen and honey . |
| -information provided by weaselhead.org |
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