Garden-bee
Guides
Agapostemon sericeus
silky striped-sweat bee, silky striped sweat bee
Agapostemon sericeus is a solitary sweat bee in the family Halictidae, commonly known as the silky striped-sweat bee. The species is a generalist pollinator that nests in soil, showing little selectivity for nesting sites as long as floral resources are available. It has been documented in moist lawns, garden edges, and unmowed areas. The species is native to North America.
Coelioxys obtusiventris
Coelioxys obtusiventris is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae, first described by Crawford in 1914. Like other members of the genus Coelioxys, this species is a cleptoparasite that exploits the nests of leafcutter bees (Megachile spp.). The female lays her egg in the host's provisioned nest cell, and her larva kills the host egg or larva before consuming the stored pollen and nectar. This species occurs in North America and is one of approximately 50 species in the genus Coelioxys worldwide.
cleptoparasitecuckoo-beeleafcutter-bee-parasiteMegachilidaesolitary-beeNorth-Americabee-hotel-inhabitantHymenopteraApoideaCoelioxysMegachile-parasitenest-parasitepollinator-parasite1914-descriptionCrawfordendoparasitoidbee-biologynative-beewild-beegarden-beeartificial-nest-userbee-conservation-indicatorMegachile fidelis
Faithful Leafcutting Bee, Horn-faced Leafcutter Bee
Megachile fidelis is a solitary leafcutting bee native to western North America. Females construct nests using circular pieces cut from leaves or petals, which they carry back to pre-existing cavities. The species is an important native pollinator frequently observed in gardens and meadows, where it forages on composite flowers. Adults emerge in spring and exhibit a distinctive nesting behavior where offspring remain in brood cells until all intervening cells have been vacated.