Solitary Bees
Most bees in Pennsylvania are solitary. In this gallery, I’ve posted photos of solitary bees from my garden in Harrisburg, summer 2024. For more information on many of the bees shown below, please visit here.
Mason bee gathering mud
Mason bee gathering mud
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Sculptured resin bee, female
Sculptured resin bee, female
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Sculptured resin bee, male
Sculptured resin bee, male
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Oblong wool carder bee
Oblong wool carder bee
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Small carpenter bee, genus Ceratina
Small carpenter bee, genus Ceratina
Male longhorn bee, subgenus Eumelissodes
Male longhorn bee, subgenus Eumelissodes
Sleeping carpenter bee
Sleeping carpenter bee
Mason bee gathering mud
Mason bee gathering mud
Andrena, mining bee
Andrena, mining bee
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Stelis louisae, painted dark bee, a cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae
Stelis louisae, painted dark bee, a cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Andrena dunningi, Dunning’s miner bee
Andrena dunningi, Dunning’s miner bee
Asian shaggy digger bee
Asian shaggy digger bee
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
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Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis, male
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee, Megachile pugnata, male
Leaf-cutting bee, Megachile pugnata, male
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Leaf cutter attack or mating attempt, likely Megachile pugnata
Leaf cutter attack or mating attempt, likely Megachile pugnata
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Mason bee
Mason bee
Female alfalfa leaf cutter
Female alfalfa leaf cutter
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Mason bee
Mason bee
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Coelioxys coturnix
Coelioxys coturnix
Leaf-cutting bee, female
Leaf-cutting bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Megachile pugnata, female
Megachile pugnata, female
Megachile rotundata, alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Megachile rotundata, alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Eastern carpenter bee
Eastern carpenter bee
European wool carder bee
European wool carder bee
Megachile sculpturalis, sculptured resin bee
Megachile sculpturalis, sculptured resin bee
Megachile pugnata, male
Megachile pugnata, male
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Andrena, mining bee
Andrena, mining bee
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis, male
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis, male
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Two-banded Cellophane-cuckoo Bee. Epeolus bifasciatus
Two-banded Cellophane-cuckoo Bee, Epeolus bifasciatus
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Pair of leaf cutting bees, female, possibly Megachile pugnata
Pair of leaf cutting bees, female, possibly Megachile pugnata
Sculptured resin bee, female
Sculptured resin bee, female
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Sculptured resin bee
Sculptured resin bee
Mason bee
Mason bee
Leaf cutting bee with sundrop petal
Leaf cutting bee with sundrop petal
Dunning’s mining bee
Dunning’s mining bee
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Patchwork leaf cutting bee
Patchwork leaf cutting bee
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Osmia georgica, Georgia mason bee
Osmia georgica, Georgia mason bee
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Stelis louisae, painted dark bee, a cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae
Stelis louisae, painted dark bee, a cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae