What are Solitary Bees?

Solitary bees are the largest percent of the bee population.   Solitary bees live by themselves, though they can live around each other, they are most commonly found alone. These bees do not sting.  They also don’t produce honey and don't follow a queen bee.  Since solitary bees don’t produce honey, they don’t have a specific thing to protect, this making them less aggressive.  The males will generally have no sting and females will only sting if they feel threatened.  This makes them perfect around gardens and homes.

Why are bees so important?

As bees' continue to grow as endangered species, our ecosystem is at risk. The bee population decrease is worrisome because of the potential food crisis for humanity.  Solitary bees have an important role in pollinating crops, flowers, and trees.  According to the United States Department of Agriculture, around 80% of flowering plants are over three-quarter of staple crops that feed humans are reliant on pollinators, such as apples, berries, avocados, coffee and onions.

Why is there a decline in the bee population?

The solitary bee population is decreasing at high rates because of the following reasons:

  1. Habitat Loss: New buildings and businesses are taking over land that the bees live on. Thousands of companies are expanding into new areas, causing a fluctuation in the bee population.  Acres of land are renovated everyday because of the new high demand in housing.  
  2. Pesticides: Increase in chemicals in farming and lawns have also made a huge impact on the bee population.  The chemicals and pesticides to get rid of pests, diseases and weeds are responsible for a large decline of bee homes.   
  3. Climate Change:  Harsh conditions such as drought, extreme cold or heat, wildfires, and severe weather all pose significant threats to the native bee populations.  These conditions are a huge stressor on the bees' everyday lives.  Foraging for food, shelter and pollination are essential in solitary bees' lifecycle.  Support the pollinators by reducing the release of greenhouse gasses.