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.
Male longhorn bee, subgenus Eumelissodes
Male longhorn bee, subgenus Eumelissodes
Two-banded Cellophane-cuckoo Bee. Epeolus bifasciatus
Two-banded Cellophane-cuckoo Bee, Epeolus bifasciatus
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Mason bee gathering mud
Mason bee gathering mud
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Dunning’s mining bee
Dunning’s mining bee
Leaf-cutting bee, female
Leaf-cutting bee, female
Mason bee
Mason bee
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Andrena, mining bee
Andrena, mining bee
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
European wool carder bee
European wool carder bee
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis, male
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis
Eastern carpenter bee
Eastern carpenter bee
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Sculptured resin bee, female
Sculptured resin 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
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Patchwork leaf cutting bee
Patchwork leaf cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee, Megachile pugnata, male
Leaf-cutting bee, Megachile pugnata, male
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Mason bee
Mason bee
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
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European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Megachile pugnata, male
Megachile pugnata, male
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Megachile sculpturalis, sculptured resin bee
Megachile sculpturalis, sculptured resin bee
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Megachile rotundata, alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Megachile rotundata, alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis, male
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis, male
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Sculptured resin bee, male
Sculptured resin bee, male
Coelioxys coturnix
Coelioxys coturnix
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Sleeping carpenter bee
Sleeping carpenter bee
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Leaf cutting bee with sundrop petal
Leaf cutting bee with sundrop petal
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Small carpenter bee, genus Ceratina
Small carpenter bee, genus Ceratina
Female alfalfa leaf cutter
Female alfalfa leaf cutter
Mason bee gathering mud
Mason bee gathering mud
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
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
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Osmia georgica, Georgia mason bee
Osmia georgica, Georgia mason bee
Alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Leaf cutter attack or mating attempt, likely Megachile pugnata
Leaf cutter attack or mating attempt, likely Megachile pugnata
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Oblong wool carder bee
Oblong wool carder bee
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Mason bee
Mason bee
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Megachile pugnata, female
Megachile pugnata, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Sculptured resin bee, female
Sculptured resin 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
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Sculptured resin bee
Sculptured resin bee
Andrena, mining bee
Andrena, mining bee
Asian shaggy digger bee
Asian shaggy digger bee
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Andrena dunningi, Dunning’s miner bee
Andrena dunningi, Dunning’s miner bee