Native Bees

Attracting Native Bees to Your Florida Landscape

Rachel E. Mallinger, Wayne Hobbs, Anne Yasalonis, and Gary Knox

Pure Gold-Green Sweat Bee Augochlora pura (Say 1837) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictinae)

Clancy A. Short and Andrea Lucky

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Bumble Bees of Florida

Joel Neylon, Lionel Stange, T. R. Fasulo, and Rachel Mallinger

A UF/IFAS numbered publication. in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Integrated Pest Management

Sweat Bees, Halictid Bees, Halictidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Katie Buckley, Catherine Zettel Nalen, Jamie D. Ellis, and Rachel E. Mallinger

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids, and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Florida’s Bee Species of Greatest Conservation Need

Walker Bensch and Rachel Mallinger

This Extension publication was created to raise awareness among the public of the diversity of Florida’s bees and their life histories. Additionally, this publication synthesizes the current information available on each bee species of conservation concern for quick reference by researchers and land managers interested in efforts to conserve these species.

Blue Orchard Bee, Osmia lignaria Say (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Alden Estep, Catherine Zettel-Nalen, and James Ellis

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Eastern Cranberry Bee Melitta americana Smith (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Melittidae: Melitta)

Lidia Komondy and Cameron Jack

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Leafcutting Bees, Megachilidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Megachilidae: Megachilinae)

David Serrano

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Southeastern Blueberry Bee Habropoda laboriosa (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Andrew J. Ryan, Cody Prouty, and Cameron J. Jack

This publication describes the southeastern blueberry bee, Habropoda laboriosa Fabricius (1804), a solitary bee in the family Apidae that is found throughout the US Southeast but also north to New Jersey and West into Illinois and Mississippi. This publication describes the bee's distribution, morphology and life cycle, and economic impact (it is the most effective pollinator for blueberries because of its buzz pollination, wherein it vibrates its wings at the perfect frequency to get the blueberry flower to release the most pollen). The publication includes management tips for blueberry producers interested in supporting this valuable bee species.

The Sandhills Longhorn Bee, Epimelissodes aegis (LaBerge, 1956) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apinae)

Manisha Yadav, Katherine A. Parys, and Isaac L. Esquivel

This publication (part of the Featured Creatures collection, which profiles insects, nematodes, arachnids and other Florida organisms  for interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology and for academic audiences), describes the sandhills longhorn bee, Epimelissodes aegis (LaBerge), a solitary bee known to pollinate sunflowers and related plants. It includes facts about its distribution, biology, and economic importance, and lists its host plants. Members of the genus are found throughout North and Central America, typically burrowing in sandy or well-drained soils. There are currently 20 species across four subgenera, but nesting biology has been described for only five of these, including Epimelissodes aegis. All known species in the genus are hosts to kleptoparasitic bees in the genus Triepeolus, which lay their eggs in the nests of other bees and rely on stolen pollen and nectar provisions to rear their offspring.

Bees and Fire: How does Fire in Longleaf Pine Savannas Affect Bee Communities?

Nicole Mitchell, Sarah Anderson Weaver, and Raelene M. Crandall

Bees are efficient pollinators known to be key components of healthy forests. Thus, bees are often used as indicators of community response to restoration and disturbances, including fire. In longleaf pine savannas, the open canopies and floral resources that increase bee diversity and abundance are promoted by applying frequent, patchy prescribed fires. This publication is aimed to help fire and natural resource managers, landowners, and interested citizens learn more about the benefits of using fire to promote bee diversity in longleaf pine savannas.