Miner Bees

Miner Bee found in Brazil

Miners are ground nesting bees that come from many families including Apidae, Andrenidae, Anthophoridae, Halictidae, and Colletidae. They are solitary bees which do not form long-lived colonies or live in a single queen-run nest. While many bees may dig nests near each other, most often the female bee digs her own burrow to rear her own young. They do not collect honey and rarely sting. In North America, the miner bee makes up the vast majority of the native species of bees. Bees face many risks including non-native species and pesticides. In South America, the threat of habitat fragmentation is a huge factor.