BEE BUZZ
A page featuring pictures and natural history of our CMS native bees.
Native bees are very diverse at CMS and are important, yet forgotten or un-noticed, pollinators. Many of these species have declined in population in the US due to habitat destruction and pesticides. We have created a "Bee Garden" in the habitat that has bee attracting plants and areas for bee nesting. These creatures are harmless and are fascinating to study and photograph.
Above-This is probably a Digger Bee or Mining Bee. (Feb 7th,2011. Grass area near small diamond near golf course.)
Above: A male Mining or Andrenid bee. (Feb 7th, 2011) These bees have been active around an open field of loose sandy soil near the golf course. The females, carrying a pollen load, burrow head first into a small mound to provision a chamber for an egg. See picture below of the mounds and habitat of these early-season emerging bees.