solitary bees

Although Bumblebees and Honey Bees tend to get most of the limelight, of the roughly 270 species of bee resident in the UK, around 250 of these species are actually solitary bees. Although often overlooked, these solitary bees are excellent pollinators and are an asset to gardeners, farmers and growers alike.

As the name suggests, solitary bees do not live in colonies like honey bees and bumblebees. Rather than hives, these solo fliers look for small holes in masonry, wood or in the ground, or even in hollow plant stems, to lay their eggs.

The colour of solitary bees tends to range from light brown to black, although some species can be more brightly coloured. They also tend to be more fluffy than wasps!There are many guides available to help identify whether or not a flying insect is a solitary bee, and to determine which species of solitary bee it might be. Common types of solitary bee include:-

• Carpenter Bees, which use their powerful jaws to chew through wood to create their nests

• Leafcutter Bees: if you find circular holes in the leaves of some of your garden plants, this may well have been the work of a leafcutter bee, which uses this material in their nests, without harming the plant

• Mason Bees use mud or clay to build their nests, and are some of the most important pollinators around

• Mining Bees nest in the ground, burrowing tunnels through the earth.

  
  

  If this has sparked your interest in these fascinating insects, then please come along to our illustrated talk The Secret Lives of Solitary Bees, on Thursday 16th April. Follow this link for tickets: https://www.wildsideac.co.uk/event-details/the-secret-lives-of-solitary-bees