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NevadaBeeIdentificationGuide DevonPicklum1,CynthiaScholl2,andKevinBurls2 1Ecology,Evolution,andConservationBiology,UniversityofNevada,Reno,NV 2NevadaBugsandButterflies IncooperationwithPollinatorPartnership PhotographsofNevadabeesbyJosephS.Wilson Whybeesareimportant: Beesprovideessential ecosystemservicesinnaturalandagriculturallandscapesas pollinatorsofthree-quartersoffloweringplants.Forpeople, thismeanseverythirdbiteoffoodistheresultof pollination.Plantsrelyonpollinatorstoreproduceandset seed.Honeybeespollinatecrops,butnativebeesalsohave aroleinagricultureandtheyareessentialforpollinationin naturallandscapes.Thereare1,000nativespeciesof ground-nesting,twig-nestingandparasiticbeesfound withinNevada.Thisguidegivesinformationforidentifying 10majorgroupsofbeescommonlyobservedinNevada includingkeycharacteristics,sizes(inmm),nestinghabits, floralpreferences,anddistinctivebehaviors. BeeIdentification:Beeshavethreebodysegments:a head,thorax,andabdomen.Thehead hascompoundeyes, apairofsegmentedantennae,andmouthpartsincluding mandiblesforbiting,andthetonguefordrinkingnectar. Thethorax bearsthelegsandfourwings.Theabdomen containsdigestiveorgansandthestinginfemales. ©2011CaseyMDelphia thorax abdomen head pollen-carrying hairs on hind leg pollen-carrying hairs on abdomen Femalebeeshavespecialpollen-carryinghairs(scopa), usuallyonthelegs,orinthecaseofleafcutters,underthe abdomen.Honeybeesandbumblebeescarrypollen packedtightlyintoaballonpollenbaskets(corbiculae), concaveareasontheirhindlegs. www.nevadabugs.org Bumblebees(Bombus spp.) Honeybees(Apis mellifera) Family:Apidae - 10-23mm Robust,blackbody,extensively coveredwithbandsofblack,yellow, orange,orwhitishhairs,longface, pollenbasketonhindlegs. Family:Apidae - 10-15mm Lighttodarkbrownbodywithpale anddarkhairsinbandson abdomen.Abdomenbarrel-shaped. Heart-shapedhead;pollenbaskets onhindlegs. Largesocialcoloniesof 30,000ormore.Nestin man-madehives,tree hollows,orrockoutcrops. Coloniesswarmtolocate newnests. Honeybeesarenotnative totheU.S.,butwere broughtoverbyEuropeans inthe17thcentury. D.Picklum Socialcoloniesnest underground,usuallyin abandonedrodentnests. Bumblebeespollinateincool, cloudyweatherwhenmostbees areathome. Bumblebeescanbuzz-pollinate flowers,liketomatoes,that requirevibrationtorelease pollen. Carpenterbees(Xylocopa& Ceratinaspp.) Family: Apidae Xylocopa - 13-30mm Shinydarkblacktometallicbluegreenbody,sparsehairson abdomen,robustwithmassivejaws. Pollen-carryinghairsonrearlegs. Solitarytocommunal,nestsare burrowedintowood,oftenin roofeaves. Ceratina - 3-15mm Shinydarkmetallicblue-greenbody, sparselyhaired,cylindrical abdomen.Paleyellowmarkson face.Pollen-carryinghairsonhind legs. Solitaryorsubsocial,nestin twigsandstems. D.Picklum Sweatbees (Agapostemon, Augochlorella,Halictus spp.& others) FamilyHalictidae - 3-12mm Twoforms:1)dullmetallicblue orbrightmetallicgreento copperor2)black/brownwith lightbandsofhaironthe abdomen.Parasiticformsoften haveredabdomens.Slender body,pollen-carryinghairson hindlegs. Solitarytosocial,nestin theground. Someareattractedtosaltin yoursweat. Family:Andrenidae - Andrena 7-18mm,Perdita 2-7mm Blackordull,slendermetallicbodyoften withbrownorreddishhairs.Pollencarryinghairsonhindlegsandsideof thorax. Solitaryorcommunal,nestin sand. Andrena areabundantinthe springastheyareoneofthe firstbeestoemergeeachseason. Perdita isadiversegenus,bright yellow,blackandwhitishbees. Family:Apidae - 10-18mm Brownbodycoveredindense lighthaironthethoraxandin bandsonabdomen.Coarsedensepollencollectinghaironhindlegs.Mayhavelight spotonface,maleshavelongantennae. Appeartohaveprotruding“nose”. Solitarybeesnestintheground, ofteninornearpumpkinand squashfields. Onlycollectpollenfromsquash andpumpkins Family:Megachilidae - 10-20mm Blackbodywithlightordarkhairs. Pollen-carryinghairsbeneath abdomen.Somehaveratherpointy abdomens.Headisasbroadasthe thoraxwithlargemouthpartsusedto cutleaves. Femalescutcircularpiecesfrom leavestolinetheirnests Solitary,nestinbeetleholesor woodnestingblocks,someinsoil. Long-hornedbees (Melissodes,Svastra & Eucera spp.) Masonbees(Osmia spp.) Family:Megachilidae - 5-20mm Twoforms:1)blackbodycoveredin palehairsor2)dullmetallic green-blueandlesshairy.Carry pollenonhairsunderabdomen. Headasbroadasthorax,robust body,largemandibles. Collectmudtolinetheirnests. Solitary,butnestin aggregationsinnaturalormanmadeholessuchasbeetleholes, nestingblocks,stems,orsoil. Family:Apidae - 5-18mm Slenderandwasp-like;relatively thickantennae,oftenwithfewhairs. Red,black,oryellowbody,banded abdomens.Triepeolus isblackand whitewithredlegs. Femalesfeedonnectarbutdo notcollectpollen. Femalesarekleptoparasites; they laytheireggsinanotherbee’s nesttostealthenestsandfood. Leafcutterbees (Megachile spp.) Squashbees(Peponapis &Xenoglossa spp.) D.Picklum D.Picklum Cuckoobees(Nomada,Triepeolus & Sphecodes spp.) Family:Apidae - 7-20mm Robustandveryhairy,darkbodyoften withpalehairbandsonabdomen. Densepollen-carryinghairsonhind legs.Maleshaveverylongantennae. Solitarytocommunal,nestinsandy soils. Somespeciesareespecially attractedtoasters,sunflowers,and mallows. ABeeorNotaBee?Therearetwokindsofinsects thatareoftenconfusedwithbees:fliesandwasps.Many flower-visitingflies(e.g.theSyrphidae)arebeeandwasp mimicsincolor,form,andbehavior.Bymimickingbees andwaspsinappearance,theygainprotectionfrom predators.So,howdoyoutellthesepollinatorsapart? FlyIdentification: Flieshaveonlyonepairofwings, whilebeeshavetwopairs.Fliesusuallyhaveshort,stubby antennaewithsinglehairs,orfeatheryantennae.They havepiercing/suckingorspongingmouthparts.Manyflies havehugeeyesthatmeetatthetopoftheirheads. WaspIdentification:Waspshavetwopairsof wings,chewingmouthparts,astinginfemales,andlong antennae.Whilebeehairsarebranched(plumose),wasp hairsaresimpleandstraight.Beesarealsousuallyhairier andmorerobustthanwasps.Manywaspshavea distinctiveconstricted“waspwaist,”betweentheir abdomenandthorax.Whilemostwaspsarecarnivorous predatorsorparasites,somefeedonpollenandnectar. Nowthatyouknowhowtotellthedifferencebetween bees,waspsandflies,tryidentifyingtheinsectsinthe photosbelow.Answersareatthebottom. 2 1 3 4 5 6 6 8 7 9 D.Picklum 1.Wasp2.Sweatbee3.Fly4.Fly5.Wasp6.Masonbee 7.Wasp8.Fly9.CuckooBee Miningbees(Andrena &Perdita spp.)