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Bees are great pollination agents. They are vital to agriculture and dispersion of pollen that allows plants to reproduce in large numbers. Bees are interested in flowers and plants and not at all in humans, unless of course you provoke them.

There are over 2000 species of bees globally, some are gentle and do not have the ability to stung. While others  can be aggressive and do have the ability to stung.

The Carpenter bees

Also called wood bees they have a dense covering of black and yellow hairs over a black body with the exception of the abdomen which is bald. They are considered pests by some people due to the fact that they drill holes and nest in wooden structures. However, any damage to structures is far outweighed by their pollination contribution. The female Carpenter bee will drill a hole in wood and lay her eggs.

The Western honey bees

These bees have distinct black stripes on the abdomen and their bodies are golden brown. They were imported to the United States to help in pollination of agricultural crops and most live in man made hives which are maintained by professional beekeepers. They will sting if you get too close for comfort to their hive.

Mason honey bees

These species are small, extremely agile and fly very fast. Their bodies have a metallic blue black and a dull green color. They transport pollen on the hairs of their abdomen.

For a nest they will seek a hollowed out twig or stem. The Mason bee first  lays female eggs and male eggs last. She creates food for her offspring using nectar and enzymes. She will then use mud to build a  wall across the entrance to the  nest. This is why they are called Mason bees. Mason bees are very docile, they only sting when trapped under clothing or handled roughly.

Bumblebees

These bees are covered with thick  black and yellow hairs and underneath them the body is black. In size they are bigger than honeybees. They build nests underground in holes abandoned  by mammals. They set up colonies consisting of a few dozen members.

Leaf cutter bees

They have black bodies. They have white hairs on the thorax and underneath the abdomen. To cut leaves they use their massive Jaws set in a  large head. They use the leaves for sealing their nests. The leaf cutter is a solitary bee.

Sweat bees

These bees are attracted to human sweat. That is why they are known as sweat bees. They are a large group comprising of small bees. They can be a quarter of the size of a honey bee and are very good pollinators. Their colors range from metallic greens and blues to black with hints of blue and copper shading. Some have striped abdomens.

Because of their small size and high rate of speed they  can be difficult to see.

Squash bees

These bees are specialist pollinators of the family Cucurbita. They pollinate plants such as zucchini, pumpkins, and squash to name a few. Their flight times are before sun up and last till mid-morning. They take off again just before dusk when melon and squash flowers open.

The male squash bee sites its nest in squash flowers. Mating also happens in the squash flower.

Conclusion

Without bees, food security in the world cannot be achieved because they are exceptional pollinators. But it’s okay to be wary of them because they can be terrifying little stingers.