Native Bees
Above, a bumble bee on a late-blooming dandelion, October 22, 2017
Say the word “bee” and most of us think “honey bees,” but this ignores the fact that honey bees are not native to the Americas. Honey bees were brought here by early European settlers. There are over 4,000 species of native bees, which play an essential role in pollinating flowering plants and native crops such as tomatoes and eggplants. I read this introduction to Native Bees for the 53rd volume of the nonfiction collection. The selection is from a USDA-Forest Service publication Bee Basics, An Introduction to Our Native Bees
Late this October (2017), in our local forest preserve, I encountered a variety of native bees attracted to the scarce, late-blooming dandelions. Nothing much else was in flower, and the various bees were sharing the single blossoms amicably, much to my amazement. The bees were also too busy to notice me with my cell phone. Here are a few of my pictures.
October 22, 2017, A bumble bee & a sweat bee sharing a dandelion.
On the right–The Megachilid bee collecting pollen on its abdomen!
One green, one yellow striped sweat bee
Tiny Megachilid bee (at bottom) and two sweat bees
The beauty of wings, October 22, 2017
Here’s a book you might like: Spiders, by Cecil Warburton
If you enjoy true-life adventures in the natural world, you might enjoy these books:
Across the Pampas and Among the Andes
If you’re looking for a short listen, why not try one of these topics?