#digger bee

Pacific digger bee, Anthophora pacifica, Apidae

As the name suggests, digger bees make nests in the soil where larvae develop in cells. They are solitary, though they may nest in large aggregations.

Spring blooms. Of course, it's supposed to snow this weekend, so we'll see if the flowers on the trees make it. Amelanchier alnifolia - Serviceberry (top) and Pyrus sp. - Pear (bottom)

The low growing plants are more used to the flux in temperatures. Viola nuttallii - Nuttall's Violet (left) and, I think, Helianthus maximiliani - Maximilian's Sunflower. (Continuing the tradition of naming plants and animals after a bunch of white guys who "discovered" them. If anyone knows any OG names, I'm down to hear them.)

Fun fact: Honey Bees are an introduced species in North America. The majority of native Bees in North America are typically solitary, don't live in hives, and have a bunch of different nesting strategies. As to whether or not this is actually a Digger Bee nest, I can't say, it could be a number of other insect species too, but I feel pretty honored that this bug decided to raise the next generation in one of the native plant garden beds.

Antilocapra americana - Pronghorn. What're you all staring at?

She was too busy for an interview, this is just what she had to say to herself.

Found this nice thick boy with yellow eyes crawling around. First time seeing a desert Digger Bee.

A Japanese Bee in America.   This is Anthophora villosula.  An Anthophora (Digger Bee) that was introduced in the 80s to Eastern U.S. for agricultural purposes, but its potential was never realized.  

Now, unfortunately, it is a common and spreading alien species dispersing from its original location in the Washington D.C. area and will likely spread to occupy much of the country at some point.  It can be found nesting in the dry dirt under decks, in upturned root masses and in the earthen plaster of strawbale houses such as our bee biologist's Sam Droege's, where it nests by the hundreds.  It does favor the "alien" plant community over the natives so it will be another interesting story to watch how it integrates and competes with the local bee fauna.  

Photographs by Brooke Alexander.

All original pictures completely public domain and available at our Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/

Photography Information: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY

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Download our free field guide to the genera of bees:http://bio2.elmira.edu/fieldbio/beesofmarylandbookversion1.pdf