I was looking at the flowers on our grassy strip next to the road – and there I saw a tiny bee. We talk a lot about bees in Greenfield, but usually we talk about bees that make honey. Those honey bees collect nectar, and pollen on their legs. But this bee is very tiny, as you can see. I am wondering – do you think this bee has collected pollen? Or does it just have yellow legs?
I’m interested to know anything you might know about bees like this.
Hi Pat! I believe this is a female Agapostemon Virescens – they love coneflower and this female has gathered pollen for her young. Like me, they are into apartment living- “Nests are communal—many females share a single nest entrance, but lay and provision their own eggs—and nest sites are maintained from year to year. Females take turns guarding nest entrance from intruders, and a green face can often be seen in the nest entrance. A single nest entrance can contain over 30 independently nesting females.” more info here: https://watchingbees.com/species-accounts/agapostemon-virescens/
Emily – Thank you so much for this interesting bee information. There are so many bees, who live in so many ways! It is fascinating and I really appreciate your knowledge.