Mining Bees (6528)

Mining or digger bees nest in burrows in the ground. Unlike honey bees, mining bees are solitary bees. Each mining bee female usually digs her own burrow to rear her young. Large numbers of these bees may nest close together if soil conditions are suitable. Mining bees are not aggressive and seldom, if ever, sting. Sometimes large numbers of males will fly about the same spot for several days in a mating display.

Mining bees range from about the size of honey bees to much smaller. The larger bees are furry and usually darker in color than honey bees. Some are brightly striped, while others are shiny metallic green. Mining bee burrows may be located wherever there is exposed soil and good drainage. The holes are about ¼ inch in diameter, and are sometimes surrounded by a small mound of soil. These bees are important pollinators, and control should be avoided if possible. Long-term control involves elimination of bare-ground areas to discourage these bees.

For more information, please visit this MAAREC publication. (Mid-Atlantic LApicultural Reseach & Extension Consortium)

Penn State Entomology Dept.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

Feel free to forward, post or reprint any of the "Solutions" in their entirely, but please credit http://www.solutions.psu.edu/ as the original source of information, and please do not change the content.