Athena Rayne Anderson

This content is based on a post originally published on May 13, 2011, on my blog “Pollinators Info” (no longer online).

The term “native” is used for species that evolved in a particular location. The United States boasts 4,000 species of native bees. The European honeybee (Apis mellifera), for example, is native to Europe, but not to the western hemisphere.

So, what kinds of bees are native to North America, and how are they different from honey bees? You’ve probably seen more of these native bees than you immediately realize; how about bumble bees, carpenter bees, and sweat bees? Sound familiar, right?

In contrast to honey bees, most native bees live solitary lives, don’t make honey, and only survive for a few weeks or months. They nest in little holes in the ground or tunnels they chew into soft wood or stems. They also represent an enormous “task force” of pollinators operating free of charge in our agricultural fields and natural areas!

Native bee conservation is important because these species are part of an ecosystem’s natural community. Other native species evolved relationships with them and they interact with each other in complex ways we’re only beginning to understand.