Hylaeus sp.
Hylaeus sp. yellow-faced bee (Colletidae). Urbana, Illinois, USA
Lasioglossum sp.
A sweat bee vists the first spiderwort of spring in an urban prairie garden. Austin, Texas, USA.
Sweat bees (Halictidae) collecting pollen from sideoats grama, a native prairie grass. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Halictus ligatus
A Halictus ligatus sweat bee covered in Rudbeckia pollen, which the bee gathers to feed to her larvae. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Sweat bee on spiderwort. Austin, Texas, USA.
A small Lasioglossum sweat bee gathers pollen from an aster. Native bees are more important pollinators of prairie plants than the better-known domestic honey bees. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Agapostemon virescens
South Bristol, New York, USA.
Augochloropsis metallica
A green sweat bee gathers pollen from a spring-blooming spiderwort. Austin, Texas, USA.
A soil-nesting Lasioglossum bee (Halictidae) peers out of her burrow. Urbana, Illinois, USA
ALasioglossum bee returns to her soil nest laden with pollen. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Lasioglossum
A small native sweat bee gathers pollen from an Australian blackthorn flower. Diamond Creek, Victoria, Australia.
Agapostemon sp.
Agapostemon sp. - Green Metallic Bee. Fairport, New York, USA.
Andrena sp.
An Andrena mining bee gathers nectar from a Spiraea flower in late spring. Note the tiny flower thrips lurking under the petals! Urbana, Illinois, USA
Andrena senticulosa
This attractive mining bee species is endemic to Texas. Austin, Texas, USA.
This close-up reveals the distinctive morphology of a short-tongue bee. Austin, Texas, USA.
Protandrena (Pterosarus)
Mining bees in the Pterosarus subgenus are composite specialists. This female is gathering pollen from an Engelmann daisy. Austin, Texas, USA. Thanks to Jack Neff for the identification.
A late spring mining bee covered in Engelmann daisy pollen. Austin, Texas, USA.
Andrenidae
A mining bee (Andrenidae) gathers nectar and pollen from a spring dandelion. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Megachille fortis
A male sunflower leafcutter bee. Austin, Texas, USA.
Megachile
A leafcutter bee visits an urban garden sunflower. Austin, Texas, USA.
A leafcutter bee gathers pollen from a summer aster. Saint Louis, Missouri.
A small leafcutter bee. Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Megachile scupturalis
A giant resin bee visits Wisteria. This Asian bee is spreading rapidly across North America. Austin, Texas, USA.
A giant resin bee carrying pollen in the scopa under her abdomen. This Asian species is spreading rapidly across North America. Austin, Texas, USA.
