These help them hold on to the female while mating. Male California Digger Bees have also been shown to poses leg adaptations similar to blades. These large bees (Anthophora californica) are identified by a golden hairy thorax and a shiny black and white banded abdomen. California Digger Bee California Digger Bee. Queens lead a colony but they often enter conflicts with other female bees as high levels of aggression are characteristic of Ligated Furrow Bees. These eusocial bees live in well-drained in-ground nests. It prefers high-protein pollen even if it visits various flowers each day. The species pollinates flowers via foragers. Ligated Furrow Bees (Halictus ligatus) are known for their positive role in pollinating Arizona flowers. Hunt’s Bumble Bee has black and yellow coloring.

They live in arid areas of Arizona and further elevation in volcanic mountains in Mexico. High adaptability also describes the species in terms of habitat. The species is also known for visiting rabbitbrush and thistle plants. Hunt’s Bumble Bees (Bombus hunt) are known in agriculture as efficient tomato pollinators. Male Valley Carpenter Bees don’t have stingers and can’t sting at all. These bees aren’t dangerous as they rarely sting. Solanaceae are among its preferred pollination flowers but the species visit multiple other flowers. These bees have been shown to visit up to 16 various flowers per minute with a large pollination role. Valley Carpenter Bees are efficient pollinators with their hairy legs. These bees have a blackhead, black wings, and black hairy legs. Valley Carpenter Bees (Xylocopa sponsoring) are common in Arizona and nearby states. Valley Carpenter Bee Valley Carpenter Bee Most bees contribute to collecting pollen and to maintaining the nest. Unlike other honey-making bees, the Sonoran Bee nest isn’t known for clear cast separation. Both nests and queens survive up to a year. These bees live in nests established by a queen.

They are very active in late summer and the fall, unlike most other bumblebees active in spring and summer. Sonoran Bumble Bees look similar to other black and yellow bees but they can be distinguished by flight season. They are recognized by their large black and yellow bodies. Sonoran Bumble Bees (Bombus sonorus) are native to the Sonoran Desert. They are known for their positive pollination role in woodlands and with flowering plants found in deserts. Western Carpenter Bees are commonly seen in late summer. These bees have black wings and black antennae. These bees are easy to recognize as they’re mostly black.įemales are darker than males who also tend to have a few light hairs. They are seen in the forests and meadows of Arizona. Western Carpenter Western Carpenter BeeĪlso known as the California Carpenter, the Western Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa californica) is native American. Honey from these bees is known for being made from the pollen of various flowering plants. Nesting in cavities, these bees have a major pollination role. These bees are known to live in wetlands and drylands, provisioned there’s sufficient water and food around. Worker Western Honey Bees grow to a maximum size of 15mm. Western Honey Bee queens grow to 20mm compared to males known as drones who only grow to 17mm. While there are 26 similar subspecies of Western Honey Bees, these can be identified by orange-yellow rings, black bands, and a hairy thorax.īees of the genus grow largest when they’re queens. This species is common around the world with a very wide distribution from the 17th century to this day. The Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common species in Arizona.

Sweat bee pic