Blue Orchard Bee
Osmia lignaria
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Family: Megachilidae
- Subfamily: Megachilinae
- Tribe: Osmiini
- Genus: Osmia
- Species: lignaria
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Osmia lignaria: /ˈɔz.mi.ə lɪɡˈnɛə.rɪə/
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Summary
Osmia lignaria, or the blue orchard bee, is a native North American bee known for nesting in holes and reeds, and is a vital pollinator for various fruit trees. They are univoltine, with adults emerging in spring, where they play a significant role in fruit bloom pollination.
Physical Characteristics
Female, 10-11 mm; Male, 9-10 mm; Metallic blue, almost black.
Identification Tips
Females are larger than males and can be distinguished by their nesting behaviors and size.
Habitat
Woodlands and forest edges; nests in natural holes and reeds.
Distribution
British Columbia to Quebec and the New England states, south to California, Oklahoma and Georgia. Native to the western US.
Diet
Visits flowers of cherry, pear, and apple as well as quince, laburnum spp, and blueberry.
Life Cycle
Univoltine; adults are active mostly from March to May; eggs develop by early summer into fifth instars. Cocoons are spun and dormancy begins, pupation occurs by late summer, and adult eclosion occurs a month later.
Reproduction
Females mate typically once or twice and lay one egg per mud-sealed partition in the nest. Eggs are fertilized for females and left unfertilized for males, laid in a ratio of about three males to one or two females per cavity.
Predators
Kleptoparasitic pollen mite (Chaetodactylus krombeini), sapygid wasps (genus Sapyga), cuckoo bees (Stelis montana), and several chalcidoid wasps.
Ecosystem Role
Important pollinator for early spring fruit bloom in orchards.
Economic Impact
Management and development for use as a pollinator in fruit orchards; contributes significantly to agricultural productivity.
Collecting Methods
- Prepared nesting materials
- Marketed bee condos
Preservation Methods
- Cocoon storage for winter
Evolution
Divided by the Rocky Mountains into two subspecies: O. l. propinqua (western) and O. l. lignaria (eastern).
Similar Taxa
Misconceptions
O. lignaria is not aggressive and only stings if severely threatened; the stinger is primarily an egg guide.
Tags
- pollinator
- native species
- bees
- Osmia lignaria
- agriculture