Gardening for Wildlife

The Buzz on Bees

Related Terms: bee, pollinator, pollination, honeybee, insect, sting, bumblebee, mason bee, nest, colony

Bees are the most important of our pollinators. And yet they are probably the most misunderstood and the least appreciated. This is because, when people think of bees, most think of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) which is known for its tendency to aggressively defend its nest.

The honey bee is not native to Canada. It was introduced from Europe almost 400 years ago. Valued for its production of honey, beeswax and other products, it is also used by many farmers for crop pollination. Although incredibly valuable, many native bees, such as bumble bees or mason bees, are actually more effective and efficient pollinators. Also, some native bee species emerge earlier in the year than honey bees, making them important pollinators of early spring blossoms.

Unlike honey bees, the majority of our native bees are solitary. This means that each female prepares her own nest, provisions it with food for her offspring, lays her eggs, and provides little further care. Although solitary bees nest separately, some may build their nests in groups, possibly to take advantage of a good nesting site. The females of other species may share a common tunnel but build their own egg chambers branching off from the tunnel. Because they do not have large nests or colonies to defend, solitary bees tend to be much less aggressive, stinging only if trapped, slapped, or handled. Some don’t even defend themselves at all.

Bumble bees are the most social of our native bees. They form a temporary colony that starts with just the queen in spring, she produces workers and then males and new queens and the colony breaks up with the onset of winter. Bumble bees are aggressive in defending their nest if disturbed. Away from the nest, however, like any bee, they are unlikely to sting unless threatened.

Bees also get confused with wasps. Although bees and wasps belong to the same order (Hymenoptera), they have different manners of living. While many wasps are parasitoids – meaning their larvae develop in or on other insects – it is the stinging wasps that most people fear. These wasps developed stingers to allow them to immobilize their prey. This includes the social wasps, such as yellowjackets and hornets, which are known for their aggressiveness. For help in distinguishing bees from wasps see our Wild About Bees poster. For information on avoiding stings go to http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/insectarium/gareaudard/site_en/index.html.

The Life Cycle of a Bee

The life cycle of a bee has four stages – egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The vast majority of our native bees build their nests in the ground. Most of the rest nest in holes in dead trees or plant stems. The female creates cells within the nest that are first waterproofed and then provisioned with pollen and nectar as food for the larvae. She lays an egg within each cell. Exactly how they build their nest and line its cells can vary greatly from species to species. Some bees use pieces of leaves or petals to line the cell. Others use mud, tree resin, or a cellophane-like substance that they secrete themselves. With approximately 800 species of bees in Canada there is a fair bit of variety.

Although it takes an expert to identify bees to species, there are some clues that can help identify a bee as belonging to a particular group of bees. To learn more about our diversity of native bees see our Wild About Bees poster.

Native North American bee species, like some of our other pollinators, are under threat. By creating a pollinator friendly garden (see below) you will be helping our native bees. We have also included some tips specific to creating bee habitat. Two key features of good bee habitat are a diversity of bee friendly flowers and good nesting sites.

To Help Bees in Particular
(Though most of these plants will also provide good nectar for other pollinators)