solitary bees – Keeping Backyard Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com Mon, 30 Mar 2020 18:15:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://i2.wp.com/www.keepingbackyardbees.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 solitary bees – Keeping Backyard Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com 32 32 Andrena: The Mining Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/andrena-the-mining-bees-zbwz2003zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/andrena-the-mining-bees-zbwz2003zsau/#respond Fri, 27 Mar 2020 16:45:36 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=5172 Honeybees get all the press, but the fascinating story of North America’s native bees — endangered species essential to our ecosystems and food supplies — is just as crucial. Through interviews with farmers, gardeners, scientists, and bee experts, Our Native Bees (Timber Press), by Paige Embry, explores the importance of native bees and focuses on why […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/andrena-the-mining-bees-zbwz2003zsau/feed/ 0 The Sneaky Behavior of Cuckoo Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/sneaky-behavior-of-cuckoo-bees-zbwz1905zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/sneaky-behavior-of-cuckoo-bees-zbwz1905zsau/#comments Thu, 30 May 2019 13:47:20 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=4388 Cuckoo bees are closely related to their host species. Their appearance and size will depend on the host species. For example, if their host species is bumblebees then they will look like bumblebees. The difference is, cuckoo bees will always be solitary.

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/sneaky-behavior-of-cuckoo-bees-zbwz1905zsau/feed/ 2 Making Homes for Wild Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/making-homes-for-wild-bees-zbwz1803zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/making-homes-for-wild-bees-zbwz1803zsau/#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2018 18:16:47 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=3848 Solitary cavity-nesting species such as mason bees are attracted to logs and dead trees, as well as hollow branches such as bamboo or sumac. Elderberry stems also are good because they have a soft pith that’s easily cleaned out. David Green of pollinator.com says don’t place elderberry stems out too late in spring because they […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/making-homes-for-wild-bees-zbwz1803zsau/feed/ 1 Harvesting and Incubating Leafcutter Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/harvesting-and-incubating-leafcutter-bees-zbwz1802zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/harvesting-and-incubating-leafcutter-bees-zbwz1802zsau/#comments Tue, 27 Feb 2018 20:41:33 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=3892 I remember as a child finding a small shrub in our wooded backyard with perfectly circular holes cut into the leaves. The leaf had the appearance of Swiss cheese. I remember thinking that the holes were perhaps made by a hungry caterpillar or ant, but the perfectness of the holes was something that I remember […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/harvesting-and-incubating-leafcutter-bees-zbwz1802zsau/feed/ 3 Meet the Leafcutter Bee https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/meet-the-leafcutter-bee-zbwz1802zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/meet-the-leafcutter-bee-zbwz1802zsau/#comments Tue, 27 Feb 2018 18:40:56 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=3885 About a month ago I had the pleasure of talking with Dave Hunter, owner and founder of Crown Bees, a company that “advocates for, raises, and sells hole-nesting bees that pollinate significantly better than the honeybee.” Dave is very enthusiastic about helping pollinators and has a wealth of knowledge about these important insects. He was […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/meet-the-leafcutter-bee-zbwz1802zsau/feed/ 5 Carpenter Bees: The Harmless Garden Pollinators https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/carpenter-bees-the-harmless-garden-pollinators-zbwz1802zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/carpenter-bees-the-harmless-garden-pollinators-zbwz1802zsau/#respond Sun, 04 Feb 2018 07:32:09 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=3792 Bees are one of the most important insects to us. Not only are they great garden pollinators, they maintain biological balance and recycle soil nutrients. Learn all about bees — from their appearance to the many unknown North American Species in Bees, Wasps, and Ants (Timber Press, 2010) by Eric Grissell. The following excerpt was taken from […]

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