Meet the Mining Bee

The Mining Bee family (Andrenidae) is a large group of bee species, with over 80 different bees found in Maryland alone. When someone says “Bee,” most people think of the honey bee, which is not native to the United States. There are plenty of native pollinators that are very important to our area, and the mining bee family is a group of them. Mining bees live in solitary nests in the ground, instead of the commonly known hives/colonies of the honeybees. These mining bees typically have a slender yellow and black body, and tend to carry pollen on their hind legs and abdomen. This bee family, like many others, consumes pollen and nectar that they collect from flowers. Mining bees are specialist bees and tend to prefer goldenrods, members of the carrot family, and asters. Heavy watering and sprinkling in your yard will discourage these bees from nesting, so it is important to be mindful of what habitats you might be affecting when you landscape or water. To learn more about the Mining Bees and other specialist bee species in Maryland, visit: https://jarrodfowler.com/specialist_bees.html

This Wildlife Wednesday was provided by Zander Hine, Student Board member