When was the last time you saw a bee? If you looked at it closely enough, you might recognize it within seconds. 13 types of bees that have been found in the world. If not, don’t worry, because you’re about to find out what they are anyway.
One of the first things we have to tell you is that bees don’t really sting, that is, they don’t usually do it. We are sorry if at some point a small pollinator decided to put its sting in you, but it was a coincidence.
In fact, humans are not at all attractive to bees (in any sense). If you have been stung, it was probably a wasp that looked like a bee.. To understand why bees don’t often sting, Becky Griffin, a professor at the University of Georgia’s Center for Urban Agriculture, analyzed and described some of the characteristics of some groups of bees.
It should be noted that these are some main groups of bees, within which there are a few others. thousands of varieties of pollinators. In short, these are not the only bees that exist. There are many more, but these are some groups we can start with.
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13 types of bees in the world
western bees (Apis mellifera)
Golden brown in color with black abdominal stripes, western bees are hard workers collecting pollen. They pollinate plants and crops, and can sting if disturbed too much.
bumblebees (bombs)
In this group of bees there are about 49 species native to the United States. These bees are usually larger with a black body covered in lots of yellow and black hair. Bumblebees often pollinate wild flowers and some crops, especially tomatoes.
Carpenter bees (xylocopa)
Better known as wood bees, these small bees are responsible for the holes in the wood. They usually make these holes to create a kind of reproductive nest. These insects also pollinate, although they are a bit more territorial than the others.
mason bees (osmia)
Small, with fast flight and excellent agility, like a war plane. The striking metallic colors of these bees make them spectacular to look at. They are also pollinators of a variety of flowers, but often focus on fruit trees.
Leafcutter bees (Megachile)
These flying insects are unique in color. Their black and white hairs that cover the thorax make them special. They have large heads and huge jaws to cut pieces of leaves that they use in their nests. They are expert pollinators of alfalfa, blueberries, carrots, and onions.
blueberry bees
With no visible lines, these bees have black and white hairs on most of their chests. They owe their name to the fact that they have evolved with the native blueberries of the United States and their bodies have been perfectly transformed to pollinate the flowers of these fruits.
Pumpkin Bees (peponapis Y Xenoglossa)
These bees have also evolved to become pollination specialists. In particular, they pollinate common squash, zucchini, and many other types of squash. Their color ranges from black to tan orange and they have much streaked black hair on their abdomens.
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Sweat bees (several genera)
The wings of these small bees are mesmerizing, although their name comes from an even stranger fact, since it is said that they feel a certain attraction to human perspiration. However, humans enjoy watching them because they are small and fast.
Hover flies (hoverfly)
Although they may not look like it from their name, these hoverflies are bees. They are even a very important pollination group, since there are more than 6,000 species of this bee. Flowers with sweet nectar are her downfall and her favorites are asters and hyssops.
yellow jackets (Vespula either dolichovespula)
These bees are like a carnivorous wasp. They do not usually walk through gardens or orchards unless there is a nest nearby, in which case, their main objective will be to break up the nest to feed on insects. In the same way, they can be dangerous for humans, because their bites are quite strong.
paper wasps (Vespidae)
Their name comes from the fact that they build paper nests. These insects do not look like bees to the naked eye, and are difficult to spot even in a garden. The most common places for these bees are door frames, windowsills, and eaves, but you’d better not disturb them, as they are very aggressive.
potter wasps (Vespidae)
These wasps are not as such pollinators, rather they are paralyzing due to their sting. They feed on grubs, which can help prevent caterpillars and grubs in fields. They are less aggressive than the rest of the wasps, but you still have to take care of them.
Hornets (Vespidae)
To the naked eye, this hornet looks like a bee, but it is distinguished by its thick body. It is black to white in color and is very effective for pest control as it feeds on a variety of insects.
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