A short bucket on some bees that don’t get the press that honeybees get.
The family Apidae contains over 5700 species. This includes honeybees and bumblebees, but also a number of others, including carpenter bees, orchid bees, digger bees and a number of other groups. Like honeybees many of these are important pollinators for agricultural crops. A number of the bee “tribes” are eusocial and live in colonies. Others are solitary bees that make nests or simple ground burrows. And some, the cuckoo bees, are parasitic in that they live in the nests of other bees.
One thing to note is that these bees are as threatened, if not more threatened, by the issues of pesticide use, agricultural monoculture, loss of habitat (non-cropland and margin plants), that are affecting pollinator numbers in general. (See Besame’s diary here for more details on a policy suggestion regarding this issue put forward by a group of scientists.)
The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Insects, weather, meteorites, climate, birds and/or flowers. All are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us.
|
Non-bees should get consideration since a number of flies and wasps are also important pollinators in forests and meadows as well.
* — I have Hover Fly pictures from multiple locations, including Europe.
I have not dug too deeply into picking out the specific species — especially for the bumblebees. But I have seen different sizes (three in Philadelphia for instance). Also abdomen coloration and hairiness variations. Buff hairs, Orange hairs (see above photo), and also bare butts with black abdomens (three photos down).
* — I added this picture since it shows one of the issues of herbicide use and the development of crops that are herbicide resistant. These developments affect pollinators since they need flowering plants to collect food from during the entire growing season. When the crops are not blooming the bees need other plants to be available. Many of these, such as the plant above, are such suppliers. Thus the ecosystem needs a spectrum of plants whose blooming period and abundance is such to keep the bees and other pollinators fed. If herbicide use kills them, the bees can starve.
*******
"Spotlight on Green News & Views" will be posted every Saturday at noon Pacific Time and every Wednesday at 3:30 Pacific Time on the Daily Kos front page. Be sure to recommend and comment in the diary.
*******
|
Now It's Your Turn
What have you noted buzzing about in your area? As usual post your observations as well as their general location in the comments.