Creature Feature: Bee Excellent to Each Other
“April showers bring May flowers” is a popular saying that often describes what the season of spring is like. When flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors do start to emerge, many insects soon follow. They will assist in the process of pollination, where pollen grains from one plant or flower get transferred to other plants of the same (or sometimes different) species. This is a key step in what ultimately leads to the production of seeds. With the number of observable flowers and sunny days on the rise at the Johnson Nature Center, it is fitting for this month’s Creature Feature to be about one who aids in the process of bringing plants to life. And there is probably no greater pollinator than those buzzing little bees. So, let's talk about them!
Honey Bees (The Big Brains)
When we talk about bees, one of the first examples that come to mind are the popular honeybees that are kept by beekeepers for honey and crop production. Although there are eight confirmed species of honeybee around the world, the ones that we see here in North America all arrived from Europe and Asia. Even though they are not native, they are still very unique insects. For example, they produce their own wax to build and shape their hive, and they release pheromones (chemicals produced by an animal which may alter the behavior of other animals of the same species) to signal other bees to attack any intruders. While there are many who are afraid of bees due to their stinging capabilities, honeybees sting only as a last resort because they are the only kind of bee that perishes after stinging. This is due to the stinger having barbs, which means that once the bee stings, they cannot get their stinger out. If they do, they lose not just their stinger, but their entire digestive system as well!
What is perhaps the coolest fact about the honeybee is that they have an advanced system for communication. Besides pheromones, the bees also perform a “dance”. The way the wiggle and zigzag during flight informs the other bees about things such as the distance and direction of food, water, and potential nesting sites.
Bumblebees (The Mellow Yellows)
Of the 250+ bumblebee species, there are approximately 19 different types or species of bumblebee that can be found in the state of Michigan, many of which are native. Believe it or not, two species of bumblebee are capable of living north of the Arctic Circle, the only bees that are able to do so! While honeybees are capable of producing a clonony size in the tens of thousands, bumblebee colonies are much smaller in scale, numbering only in the hundreds. Like their honeybee cousins, bumblebees feed on nectar through the use of their proboscis - a long straw-like tongue that is used for consuming hard to reach food sources such as nectar. They do not pay much attention to humans unless distressed and would rather spend their time slowly going from flower to flower to collect food.
Although insects such as the bumblebees are one of the most abundant and diverse groups of animals on the planet, they are still neither invincible nor indestructible. Habitat loss, diseases, and altered climates are all contributing factors to the decline of native bees. The rusty patched bumblebee, for example, is an endangered bee species and has not been found or identified in Michigan since the late 1990’s.
Bumblebee on a flowering bee balm plant. Fun fact: Indigenous First Nation cultures utilized these plants to treat bee stings, hence the nickname “bee balm”
Sweat Bees (The….Wait, What?)
Alright, so it’s common knowledge that one of the main characteristics of bees and their cousins (wasps, hornets, etc.) is that yellow and black striped pattern that can be seen on their body segments. However, not all bees share the same color pallete! There are some species of bee that look more green than they do black and yellow. A good example of this are the native green sweat bees, named for their attraction to the perspiration (sweat - moisture and salt) of other animals. Sweat bees’ social structure varies depending on the species. They can range from being solitary to having an advanced organization. Instead of a hive, most sweat bees will nest underground in burrows and tunnels smaller than the size of an adult fingernail. In addition, most sweat bees are smaller than the average honeybee, which are roughly a half inch long.
Anyone up for a game of “Spot the Bee on the Balcony”?
In reality, there are many different kinds of bees, approximately 20,000! Even though they may look and act different from one another, they all still play a very important role in providing life to habitats and ecosystems.
Here’s some fun trivia to leave you with: besides wasps, what is the insect that is the closest relative to bees? Here’s a hint: they go marching one by one.
Click here to learn more about the bees of Michigan
Submitted by Zach Mork, Naturalist, June 2022