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.
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Mason bee gathering mud
Mason bee gathering mud
Andrena dunningi, Dunning’s miner bee
Andrena dunningi, Dunning’s miner bee
Patchwork leaf cutting bee
Patchwork leaf cutting bee
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Andrena, mining bee
Andrena, mining bee
Male longhorn bee, subgenus Eumelissodes
Male longhorn bee, subgenus Eumelissodes
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Sculptured resin bee
Sculptured resin bee
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Small carpenter bee, genus Ceratina
Small carpenter bee, genus Ceratina
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Sleeping carpenter bee
Sleeping carpenter bee
Dunning’s mining bee
Dunning’s mining bee
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Subgenus Eumelissodes, female
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Mason bee
Mason bee
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
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
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Mason bee gathering mud
Mason bee gathering mud
Two-banded Cellophane-cuckoo Bee. Epeolus bifasciatus
Two-banded Cellophane-cuckoo Bee, Epeolus bifasciatus
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee, Megachile pugnata, male
Leaf-cutting bee, Megachile pugnata, male
cuckoo2
Stelis louisae, painted dark bee, a cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae
Stelis louisae, painted dark bee, a cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae
Stelis louisae, painted dark bee, a cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae
Stelis louisae, painted dark bee, a cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae
Osmia georgica, Georgia mason bee
Osmia georgica, Georgia mason bee
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Megachile pugnata, the pugnacious leaf cutting bee
Sculptured resin bee, male
Sculptured resin bee, male
Asian shaggy digger bee
Asian shaggy digger bee
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Megachile sculpturalis, female
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Lunate longhorn cuckoo bee
Mason bee
Mason bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Megachile frigida
Coelioxys coturnix
Coelioxys coturnix
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, male
Sculptured resin bee, female
Sculptured resin bee, female
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Sharptail (leaf-cutting cuckoo bee), Genus Coelioxys
Andrena, mining bee
Andrena, mining bee
Megachile pugnata, female
Megachile pugnata, female
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Sculptured resin bee, female
Sculptured resin bee, female
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis, male
Sculptured resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis, male
Mason bee
Mason bee
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
European wool carder bee
European wool carder bee
Leaf cutting bee with sundrop petal
Leaf cutting bee with sundrop petal
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Oblong wool carder bee, Anthidium oblongatum
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Flat-tailed leafcutter bee, Megachile mendica
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Pair of leaf cutting bees, female, possibly Megachile pugnata
Pair of leaf cutting bees, female, possibly Megachile pugnata
Oblong wool carder bee
Oblong wool carder bee
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum
Leaf-cutting bee, female
Leaf-cutting bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Melissodes trinodis, dark veined longhorn bee, female
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Megachile sculpturalis, sculptured resin bee
Megachile sculpturalis, sculptured resin bee
Female alfalfa leaf cutter
Female alfalfa leaf cutter
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Leaf cutting bee, genus Megachile
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica
Leaf-cutting bee
Leaf-cutting bee
Megachile pugnata, male
Megachile pugnata, male
Leaf cutter attack or mating attempt, likely Megachile pugnata
Leaf cutter attack or mating attempt, likely Megachile pugnata
Alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Alfalfa leaf cutting bee, male
Megachile sculpturalis
Megachile sculpturalis
Eastern carpenter bee
Eastern carpenter bee