I wrote a post this time last year about what I discovered in my native landscape over the course of the year. As we continue to add native plant species, build diversity, and allow our landscape to evolve there’s always something new and different that shares our landscape with us.
2012 was a year of new native bee discoveries. Here are some highlights:
SPRING
Mining Bees (Andrena spp.)
When the Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) was flowering in March, many small bees were flying around in the warm afternoon temperatures checking out what the Bloodroot flowers had to offer. The majority of these small bees were Mining Bees (Andrena spp.). A ground nesting species that builds tunnels in open spots in sandy soil.
There are many species of Mining Bees, some are large like the one pictured here, resembling Bumble Bees. This one was visiting Large Flowered Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora).
Mining Bees were active throughout the spring, visiting many of our native woodland perennials, as well as some early flowering prairie species such as Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea).
If you have Mining Bees nesting in your landscape, then it’s very likely you will spot a type of Cuckoo Bee 
(Nomada sp.) flying low to the ground in search of the Mining Bee nests, as well as nectaring on flowers.
Cuckoo Bees don’t have any pollen collecting structures, and they don’t need any because they lay their eggs in the nests of other bees (cleptoparasites) where their eggs hatch, and their larvae kill the host larvae.
In the late spring, I spotted another type of Cuckoo Bee (Sphecodes sp.) with its distinctive red abdomen visiting flowers of our native shrubs, pictured here on Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliata). This bee is a cleptoparasite of Sweat Bees (Halictus spp.) which we have documented in our landscape.
SUMMER
Wool Carder Bees (Anthidium sp.)
This bee seemed to specialize on our Spiderwort plants. It buzzes loudly as it flies, and defends its desired plant by flying after other bees who come near. After observing it, I realized it wasn’t as interested in the flowers as it was in the hairs that covered the flower stems and bud. Females would make their way up and down the hairy parts of the plant, chewing off the hairs. They fashion their nest cells with the hairs.
Bumble Bee on Hairy Penstemon (Penstemon hirsutus)
The amazing relationship between native plants and native bees is so apparent when you watch who attempts to climb up the narrow tubular flower of Hairy Penstemon. This smaller Bumble Bee species was the only observed successful candidate, fitting the flower like a ‘glove’.
Leafcutter Bees
I have photographed many leafcutter bees on our native plants, but this was the first time I caught a female making leaf cuts from our Great St. John’s Wort (Hypericum pyramidatum) leaves.
Females have large mandibles that they use to cut leaf pieces in ovals or circles. They use these leaf pieces to divide their brood cells in the above ground cavity nests.
More Cuckoo Bees
It was no surprise to read about this newly discovered Cuckoo Bee (Coelioxys sp.), they are cleptoparasites of Leafcutter Bees. Females have a sharp point on the end of their abdomen that they use to pierce through the Leafcutter Bee cells to lay their eggs.
In the late summer, another Cuckoo Bee (Triepeolus sp.) nectaring on Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) in our rain garden. Distinctively colored with black and white markings and bright orange legs. This Cuckoo Bee is a cleptoparasite of Long Horned Bees.
NEW BUMBLE BEE DISCOVERIES
Perplexing Bumble Bee (Bombus perplexus)
This bright yellow bumble bee with a white bottom segment was spotted on Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).
Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis)
This was an extremely exciting discovery, as this bumble bee is listed as a species in decline by the Xerces Society. The Xerces Society likes to receive reports of an sightings of the bumble bees in decline. Check which species are in decline in your area.
Two of my friends with native plant gardens also documented the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee in their landscape.
Mining Bees (Andrena sp.)
I thought Mining Bees were a spring phenomenon but I started to see some on our prairies natives in late summer including Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida). After doing some further reading, many of the Mining Bees in late summer specialize on Aster and Goldenrod species.
What new discoveries did you make in your landscape this year?
© 2012 – 2013, Heather Holm. All rights reserved. This article is the property of Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Heather Holm
I, too, learned a lot about native bees this years. I am glad that gardeners are slowly becoming more aware of the importance of native bees to our landscape and food production.
Mary Pellerito recently posted..Exploring The Native World
That’s great Mary. I agree, native bees are very underappreciated.
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees
I love this post, especially your identification of the different native bees you’re seeing. Thanks so much for sharing!
Gaia gardener recently posted..Rachel Carson Still Has Lessons to Teach
Thanks Gaia Gardener, it takes a while but with lots of photographs and help from the experts and books you will get a feel for identifying the bees in your landscape.
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees
Really enjoyed this article. I am curious how you identify your bees? What identifiers should I be looking for and what sources do you use.
Hi Laura,
I recommend the book Attracting Native Pollinators by the Xerces Society, it will get you off to a great start. I also use BugGuide.net and submit images from time to time when I have no idea what Genus the bee fits in to.
Heather
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees
Thanks for the book suggestion, I just added it to my Christmas list!
Amy (Get Busy Gardening) recently posted..Freezing Salsa
Heather,
What amazing photos. I love the ones of the bees trying to get inside the Hairy Penstemon. I am always amazed to watch bees in my garden crawl right inside of flowers like that and totally disappear, only to reappear moments later covered in pollen.
Debbie recently posted..Pollinators Go for Hint of Gold Caryopteris
Isn’t that fun to watch!! I wish I spent more time this season observing my other Penstemon sp. too.
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees
Heather, I loved your year with native bees format, and the photos. Thanks for highlighting these oft-overlooked native pollinators. They are so fun to watch in the garden, and such critical sources of food for many larger wildlife (nesting songbirds, for one group). And without them, many of our native wildflowers would have no pollinators, and thus no seeds. It’s exciting and hopeful to hear about your sightings of the rusty patch bumblebee. For gardeners looking for resources to identify native bees, I’d recommend the Xerces Society’s new book, Attracting Native Pollinators http://www.amazon.com/Attracting-Native-Pollinators-Protecting-Butterflies/dp/1603426957
as well as Celeste Ets-Hokin’s charming Garden Variety Native Bees of North America perpetual calendar.
http://marcomcentral.app.pti.com/californialithographers/bee_calendar/home.aspx?uigroup_id=13726
Susan J. Tweit recently posted..Celebrating the journey
Thanks for the book references Susan. I use the Xerces Society “ANP” book all the time and love it. Hopefully the Xerces Society will expand on this wonderful book and publish ones for different areas of the country.
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees
Hooray for the bees!
Let’s make every year a ‘bee year’.
We need bumblebees and solitary bees and stingless bees and of course our honeybees.
In case anyone wants a fast yet informative read check-out The Incomparable Honeybee
http://www.amazon.com/The-Incomparable-Honeybee-Economics-Pollination/dp/1926855647/ref=dp_ob_title_bk/192-6588152-5825030
Great idea! Thanks for the book reference on Honey Bees.
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees
Wow, very interesting! I need to learn more about all of the different types of bees (and other pollinators) in my gardens. My gardens were buzzing this summer like never before. Tell the truth, I don’t really enjoy all that activity when I’m trying to get some work done.
Amy
Amy (Get Busy Gardening) recently posted..Freezing Salsa
That’s great to hear Amy. I have never been stung working in the garden around pollinators. It’s a great time to get up close and look at the different types of bees and other pollinators.
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees
2012 was also a great year for us, we were able to document an increase in the population of the Golden Northern Bumblebee here. In 2010, we had none, in 2011 we had just a few, and this year we had a minor population explosion! It’s so rewarding when you can make a quantifiable difference like that. Thanks for the earlier ID tip on the Wool Carder Bee, I’ve also noticed many more of them this year too.
Julie Stone recently posted..A visit to the Monticello Heritage Harvest Festival
I totally agree Julie, I wish I had better records before we started changing our landscape. Great to hear about your results!
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees
Heather I love reading about your native bees and seeing your pictures…I too found the female leafcutter making her nest this year but did not capture her cutting as she was too fast for me and my camera….we obviously were on the same wavelength with our posts!
Donna@Gardens Eye View recently posted..Seasonal Celebrations Revealed-September 2012
That’s great Donna, they are tricky to catch cutting leaves. One minute they’re there and the next …
Did you find the nest itself? If so, how wonderful. I have yet to find the nests of any of these native bees.
Heather Holm recently posted..Discovering Native Bees