This month Linda Hooper presented Digger Bees and Bumble Bees

Digger Bees:

Digger Bees are ¼ to ½ inch long. Depending on the species, they may be dark or shiny metallic, often with yellow, white or rust-colored markings. The females are very fuzzy, which allows them to carry pollen on their bodies. Digger bees generally don’t sting unless they’re threatened.

Female adult Digger Bees live underground, where they build a nest about 6 inches (15 cm.) deep. Within the nest, they prepare a chamber with plenty of pollen and nectar to sustain the larvae.

Male Digger Bees don’t help with this project. Instead, their job is to tunnel to the surface of the soil before the females emerge in spring.

Bumblebees:

Bumblebees are large, fuzzy insects with short, stubby wings. They are larger than honeybees, but they don’t produce as much honey however, they are very important pollinators.

While other animals pollinate, Bumblebees are particularly good at it. Their wings beat 130 times or more per second, and the beating combined with their large bodies vibrates flowers until they release pollen, which is called buzz pollination. Buzz pollination helps plants produce more fruit.

Bumblebees usually build their nests close to the ground — under piles of wood, dead leaves and compost piles — or even below ground in abandoned rodent tunnels.