One of the best ways to get to know your local pollinators is to go outside and meet them. So today let's head out and meet some bees.
First, a bit about what bees look like. They have three body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), long slender antennae, large multi-faceted eyes, two pair of wings (that's 4 wings in all!) and, if they're female, a stinger at the end of their abdomen.
Chances are you're familiar with your neighborhood bumble bees and honey bees, and you may have met a few shiny metallic green sweat bees. For this bee walk, take a notebook and pencil - or a camera - so you can take notes, draw pictures, or take photos of bees you see along the way.
Things to observe on your bee walk:
- how big is your bee?
- what colors does it have on its abdomen?
- what is the pattern of the colors?
- does it have longer antennae than other bees?
- is its abdomen flattish?
- what sort of sound does it make?
- what flowers does it visit?
- also note the date, time of day, and basic weather observations
If you are looking for bee guides, you can find a short North American Bee Identification Guide (free) at Pollinator Partnership. They have some state guides as well. They have a longer Beginner Bee Field Guide available for free download as well.
Happy Bee watching!
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