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Images courtesy of Marc J. Kirouac and Jim Robertson |
The Buzz on Bees Approximately one third of all human food is prepared from plants dependent on animal pollinators. Bees provide much of this valuable pollination service. Although the honeybee is probably the most familiar bee, our native bees are incredibly important. Many native bees, such as the bumblebee or the mason bee, are actually more effective and efficient pollinators than the honeybee. Some native bee species emerge earlier in the year than honeybees, making them important pollinators of early spring blossoms. Unlike honeybees, the majority of our native bees are solitary. This means that each female prepares her own nest, provisions it with food (nectar and pollen) for her offspring, lays her eggs, and provides little further care. Although solitary bees nest separately, some may build their nests in groups, possibly to take advantage of a good nesting site. The females of other species may share a common tunnel but build their own egg chambers branching off from the tunnel. Because they do not have a large nest or colony to defend, solitary bees tend to be much less aggressive, stinging only if trapped, slapped, or handled. Bumblebees are the most social of our native bees. They form a temporary colony that breaks up with the onset of winter. Some bumblebee species can be a bit aggressive in defending their nest if disturbed. Away from the nest, however, like any bee, they are unlikely to sting unless threatened.
Bees come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are over 20,000 species of bees in the world, more than 4,000 in North America, and almost 1,000 species in Canada. Although it takes an expert to identify these bees to species, there are some clues that can help identify a bee as belonging to a particular group of bees. Size and appearance can help, but bees are often grouped together based on their nesting behaviour — the type of nest they build and how it is lined. The following information is meant as a general guide to some of the types of bees in Canada. Click on the individual links to learn more about some of the species. Click here to learn about attracting bees to your garden. |
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The best-known bee is the honeybee (Apis mellifera), which was introduced from Europe almost 400 years ago. Native to Africa, western Asia, and Europe, honeybees are now one of the most widespread and abundant insects. Indigenous North American bee species, on the other hand, face a number of threats, mostly as a result of human activities, including intensive agriculture, urbanization, overgrazing, pesticide and herbicide use, destruction of riparian corridors, and habitat destruction and fragmentation.
A shortage of pollinators is becoming noticeable in our agricultural areas. The pollinators of blueberry crops in New Brunswick suffered significant population reductions when pesticide was sprayed in neighbouring forests to control spruce budworm. This resulted in serious economic losses for the blueberry industry. Many farmers across Canada now rent pollinators to ensure proper crop development. Reductions in bee populations could have severe consequences for food crops, garden plants, and wilderness areas.