Bees: Friend or enemy?

Many people, including some gardeners, think of bees as the enemy. While it is true that bees can sting and some people are allergic, we must make friends with bees if we want to have food that is pollinated by bees. Scientists indicate that pollinators are responsible for one of every three bites of food we eat. Without bees, our diet would be severely limited. Honeybees are the most commonly known pollinator and the only bee species that lives in hives. However, there are approximately 500 bee species in Ohio alone, and they all play an important role in our ecosystem. Here are some common bees that can be found in your backyard: Traits of all bees All bees have three body segments: head, thorax, and abdomen. The head segment contains the eyes, long slender antennae and cutting mouth parts. The thorax is the middle segment where wings and legs are attached. The abdomen, for female bees, ends with the stinger. Male bees do not sting. Leaf cutting bees: These bees have hairy black bodies and heads that are as wide as the thorax with large mouth parts used to cut leaves. Cutting bees nest in above ground, pre-existing holes, and they cut circular pieces in leaves which they use to line their nests. Bumblebees: These bees have black bodies with black and yellow hairs, robust bodies, and long faces. They nest underground and pollinate in cool, cloudy weather. Bumblebees use their smelly footprints to distinguish between their own scent, the scent of a relative or scent of a stranger. This enables them to successfully find food by avoiding flowers that have already been visited. Sweat bees: There are two kinds of sweat bees; one is a bright metallic green and the other is black/brown with a light band of hair on the abdomen. They both have slender bodies, nest in the soil, and are attracted to the salt in your sweat. Large carpenter bees: The bodies of these bees lack hair. They have a similar body shape to a bumblebee but have a shiny abdomen with few hairs. They nest in wood and often in roof eaves, and they fly fast and erratically like a hummingbird. Mason bees: These bees have either a black body or dull, metallic greenish-blue body. They nest above ground in pre-existing holes and collect mud to line their nest. Squash bees: These bees have brown bodies covered in dense, light hair on the thorax and in bands on the abdomen. They have a long antenna and appear to have a protruding nose. They nest in the ground near squash and pumpkin plants. Small carpenter bees: They have dark blue-green and shiny, almost hairless, bodies. They are slender with pale yellow marks on their face, and they nest in twigs and stems. Mining bee: These bees have slender black bodies with pollen-carrying hairs on their rear legs and the side of their thorax. They have shallow depressions between their eyes and antennae hold short velvety hairs. They dig ground nests, preferably in sand or soil. Is it a bee, yes or no? Some insects that you see visiting flowers are bee mimics. While they are not bees, they do resemble them. Common bee mimics are flies and wasp bit flies. Flies, however, have two wings while bees have four wings. Fly antennas are also short and stubby while bee antennas are long and slender. A wasp does have four wings; however, wasps are smooth and almost hairless. Wasps tend to have slender waists, and they do not have pollen-carrying hairs. And if you see an insect eating another insect, it is not a bee. Bees are vegetarians and only eat pollen and nectar from flowers. How can we protect the bees? To help protect our native pollinators, consider creating a garden that is pollinator friendly. You can invite bees to your garden by planting a wide variety of flowers, vegetables, and trees. Learn about native plants and try to include as many in your landscape as possible. Also, reduce your use of pesticides on your lawn and garden. If you feel you must use chemicals, first be sure you have correctly identified the problem, and then use the least toxic solution available. Apply before dawn or after sunset when bees are not as active. This summer, when you are sitting in your yard listening to the bees buzzing and pollinating your native plants and flowers, feel good about the fact that you are doing your part to help our food ecosystem. If you have gardening questions this summer, be sure to ask a master gardener at 419-422-3851 through the OSU Extension Hancock County office. Also, follow us on Facebook, "Master Gardeners of Hancock County Ohio" for information on upcoming events, classes and gardening tips. Leiendecker is an Ohio State University Extension Hancock County Master Gardener Volunteer.