Honey bees vs. native bees is a comparison you can make in your own garden. Start with two questions. Where does each bee nest, and how does she carry pollen home?
Honey bees vs. native bees in the United States
The western honey bee is one introduced species. By contrast, the U.S. Geological Survey counts about 4,000 native bee species in the United States. Some are smaller than a grain of rice. A bumblebee and a mining bee can live in the same garden and use different flowers and nest sites. Read the USGS native bee overview.
Honey bees live together in colonies and store honey. Most native bee species nest on their own. For example, a female mining bee digs a nest in the ground and provides food for her young. Bumblebees are one familiar exception. A bumblebee queen starts a colony that grows through the season.
Look at a flower before you look for a hive. You may see a female honey bee carrying a compact ball of pollen on each hind leg. A female mason bee instead carries pollen on hairs beneath her abdomen. See how a honey bee colony works.
Bumblebees
Bumblebees are among the most recognizable native bees in North America. Their fuzzy bodies help them carry large amounts of pollen while also keeping them warm during cool weather. Bumblebees can perform buzz pollination, a special behavior where they vibrate flowers to release pollen.
Bumblebees are essential pollinators for tomatoes, blueberries, peppers, cranberries, and wildflowers. Unlike honey bees, they can fly during cooler temperatures and cloudy weather.
Threats to bumblebees include pesticides, habitat destruction, climate change, and disease.
Mason Bees
Mason bees usually nest alone. Look for pollen on the underside of a female’s abdomen as she visits an apple or cherry blossom.
Mason bees include the blue orchard bee, which is active when many fruit trees bloom. A female can use a hollow stem or an existing cavity, then seal the nest with mud.
Mason bees are important pollinators for apples, cherries, pears, and many flowering trees.
Leafcutter Bees
Leafcutter bees are famous for cutting neat circular pieces from leaves to build protective nest chambers. They are fast, efficient pollinators that support gardens, vegetables, and native plants.
These bees are solitary and non-aggressive. Female leafcutter bees carefully line nest chambers using leaf material to protect developing larvae.
Leafcutter bees rely on safe nesting habitat and pesticide-free environments.
Sweat Bees
Sweat bees are tiny native pollinators often recognized by their metallic green or blue coloration. They pollinate many wildflowers and native plants across North America.
These adaptable bees can survive in gardens, meadows, forests, and urban environments. Many sweat bee species nest underground, making them vulnerable to soil pesticides and habitat disruption.
Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees are large solitary bees often confused with bumblebees. In many large carpenter bees the upper abdomen looks smooth and shiny. A bumblebee usually has hair across the upper surface.
These bees create tunnels inside wood where they raise their young. Carpenter bees are strong pollinators for flowering shrubs and native plants.
Mining Bees
Mining bees are important spring pollinators that dig tunnels underground for nesting. They are some of the earliest native bees to emerge each year.
Mining bees help pollinate fruit trees, blueberries, cherries, and native wildflowers. Because they nest underground, they are highly vulnerable to pesticides and habitat loss.
Honey Bees vs. Native Bees on Your Flowers
Different flowers reward different visitors. For example, a bumblebee vibrates a tomato flower to shake loose pollen. Honey bees do not use that technique. In contrast, an open sunflower head offers many small flowers for several kinds of bees to visit.
To help both groups, plant for a sequence of blooms. Also keep some undisturbed ground and hollow stems for native bees. On your next walk, watch one patch for five minutes. Which kinds of bees are using it today?
About Save The Bees USA
Save The Bees USA is a nonprofit organization focused on pollinator education, conservation, and community awareness. Through observation hive programs, pollinator habitat initiatives, and educational outreach, Save The Bees USA works to inspire the next generation to protect honey bees and native bees across America.