If you have taken a moment to observe the insects buzzing around your yard, you already know that bees are some of the most industrious, hard-working animals you can find.
These industrious actions help keep most wild plants (90%) and many of the crops that feed us (over 75%) pollinated and contribute to at least every 4th mouthful of food we eat!
Bees are not just the cute fuzzy bugs that live in boxes and make honey; in fact, there are more than 20,000 bee species in the world, 4000 of which are native to North America.
You probably have seen many of these species but dismissed them as wasps, flies, or another type of bug.
What to Expect? If you want to begin to identify some common types of bees to look for, we are happy to provide a complete guide on some of the most common bee species, including how to identify them by their shape and color, and when you will often find them active.
Let’s get to spotting!
A quick guide to easy bee identification
You don’t need to be an entomologist to advance your bee identification skills in your yard.
After you know basic rules around where and what to look for regarding bees, you’ll be amazed by how many bees inhabit your surroundings.
Here are the critical aspects to keep in mind when identifying bees.
Size
Bees vary in body size from smaller insects of less than a centimeter to well-armored and larger bees of 2-3 centimeters in body length.
- Small bee is less than 10 mm in length
- Small bee is 10-15 mm in length
- Medium bee is 15-20 mm in length
- Large bee is longer than 20 mm
The Himalayan giant honeybee is the largest bee in the world and is very aggressive, and has the sting to prove it!
Body shape
Bees typically exhibit a more rounded body shape compared to flies and wasps.
Bees from various families have specific body shapes and this will help you to easily identify them.
The primary body shape is:
- Apiform (common in honeybees)
- Bombiform (common in bumblebees)
- Megachiliform (common in mason bees)
- Euceriform
- Andreniform
- Hylaeiform
Body color
Bees arrive in a veritable rainbow of colors including metallic blues, greens and purples.
The more common colors include black, brown, orange, yellow and red.
Striping
The stripes of a bee can be found either on the insect’s exoskeleton or the pattern of its hairs. Look for bands of black, brown, white, buff, yellow, orange and red.
Wings
Bees have four wings; two wings are larger fore-wings and two are smaller hind-wings.
If you look closely at a bee you will probably see it holding its wings close to its body and either crossed or at a 45-degree angle.
Hairs
Bees don’t have pockets, but rather hairs, which they use for carrying pollen back to their nest or hive.
Bees have hairs on their head, body, underside of abdomen and legs.
Some of these hairs are known in the bee world as scopae, and as you’ll see later, you can identify some types of bees, by if it has hairs or not, and or the color of their hairs.
Eyes
Bees have big, widely spaced eyes.
These are called compound eyes which help the bees see shapes and objects.
Did You Know? Bees also have three other ‘simple’ eyes on their heads which help them with navigation and orientation.
Antennae
Like most insects, bees have antennae. The antennae vary in length and prominence and may be straight or bent.
Corbiculae
The hind legs of these bees have pollen baskets that they can use to carry pollen.
Bumblebees and honeybees frequently present with large flatten leg plates.
Easy bee identification guide
Below is a guide of the most common types of bees from around the world.
Revisit this guide to help you identify bees hanging out in your backyard or check it out just to learn more about some of the diversity of these fascinating creatures!
HONEYBEES (Apis)
These are the eight recognized species of honey bees.
1. Western honey bee – Apis mellifera
- Time active: Spring to late fall
- Size: Medium (>10 mm)
- Body shape: Apiform body shape – slender but robust
Body color and pattern:
- Red/brown coloration with a dark abdomen with orange-yellow rings
- Hairy thorax and less hair on abdomen
- Prominent pollen baskets on dark hind legs
Additional points:
- Most common honeybee worldwide
- Prevalent in Europe, the Americas, and Africa
- Domesticated for widespread honey production
2. Black dwarf honey bee – Apis andreniformis
- Time active: December to June
- Size: Tiny (under 10 mm)
- Body shape: Andreniform small slender body
Body color and pattern:
- First two abdominal segments are dark
- Mustard yellow/reddish brown thorax
- Queens are entirely black
Additional points:
- Dwarf honeybee species from the tropics of Southeast Asia
- Primitive species with small colonies and open, single comb nests
3. Red dwarf honey bee – Apis florea
- Time active: Spring and summer
- Size: Tiny (under 10 mm)
- Body shape: Apiform body shape – slender but robust
Body color and pattern:
- Red-brown coloration with some black and white banding.
Additional points:
- Tropical Dwarf Honeybee Species of Southeast Asia
- Dwarf honeybees are smaller in stature than other honeybee species and will establish a colony on a single exposed comb that is connected to the branch of a tree.
- Dwarf honeybees demonstrate the ability to nest in close proximity to human settlements.
- The sting of a dwarf honeybee may be too small to penetrate human skin.
4. Eastern honey bee – Apis cerana
- Time active: Early summer through fall
- Size: Small (under 10mm)
- Body shape: Apiform body shape – slender but robust
Body color and pattern:
- Black coloration with four yellow stripes on the abdomen
- Rusty coloration on legs
Additional points:
- Asian honeybee species
- Diverse with numerous sub-species
- Body coloration varies with sex (Queens and fertile bees have deeper coloration)
5. Giant honey bee – Apis dorsata
- Time active: December to September
- Size: Large (up to 20 mm)
- Body shape: Apiform body shape – large and elongated abdomen and hairy thorax
Body color and pattern:
- Variable coloration depending on subspecies – size is the key identifier
- Red-brown/brown-black scutellum, dark brown/black posterior with golden yellow or pale banding
Additional points:
- Southeast Asia honeybee species
- Nests in inaccessible locations (Colony assembles on a single exposed comb attached to a branch)
- Colonies can be extremely vicious if disturbed
6. Koschevnikov’s honey bee – Apis koschevnikovi
- Time active: Active season varies with elevation/local conditions
- Size: Medium (>10 mm)
- Body shape: Apiform body shape – stocky and robust
Body color and pattern:
- Dark brown or light orange banding
- Red color of the posterior part of the body (metasoma) and legs
Additional points:
- Found in the rainforests of Southeastern Asia- Nests in cavities
- Rare
7. Philippine honey bee – Apis nigrocincta
- Time active: Active season varies with elevation/local conditions
- Size: Medium (>10 mm)
- Body shape: Apiform body shape – stocky and robust
Body color and pattern:
- Yellow to rust-colored legs scapes and hairs
Additional points:
- Similar in appearance to Apis koschevnikovi
- A highly social, cavity-nesting bee from Indonesia and the Philippines. Instances of domestication in Indonesia
8. Himalayan giant honey bee – Apis laboriosa
- Size: Large (up to 30 mm)
- Body shape: Apiform body shape – stocky and robust
Body color and pattern:
- The dorsal side of the thorax is dark brown to black with long yellowish hairs
- All segments of the abdomen are dark with pale banding
Additional points:
- The world’s largest honey bee
- Its honey is known as “red honey” or “mad honey”. It has hallucinogenic properties because it contains white rhododendron nectar
BUMBLEBEES (Apidae)
There are 250+ known species of bumblebee. Here are the most common types.
9. Buff-tailed bumblebee – Bombus terrestris
- Time active: Early spring through fall
- Size: Large (up to 17 mm)
- Body shape: Bombiform
Body color and pattern:
- Deep yellow bands over the thorax and mid-abdomen
- Only queens have a true buff-colored tail
- Workers have white tails with a faint buff line
Additional points:
- The largest bumblebee sub-species
- Earliest to emerge and visit gardens
10. Red-tailed bumble bee – Bombus lapidarius
- Time active: Early spring through fall
- Size: Large (up to 17 mm)
- Body shape: Bombiform
Body color and pattern:
- Black with a bright red furry tail
- Red-orange tail color >50% of abdomen of queens
- Males also have yellow/pale hairs around their heads and the front/rear of their thorax
Additional points:
- This apidae subspecies looks similar too the Red-tailed cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus rupestris) and Red-shanked carder (Bombus ruderarius)
11. White-tailed bumblebee – Bombus lucorum
- Time active: Early spring through fall
- Size: Large (up to 17 mm)
- Body shape: Bombiform
Body color and pattern:
- Black with yellow bands and a bright white tail
- The Queen carries the characteristic markings
Additional points:
- Common foraging bee
- Queens are the only bumblebees that survive the winter
- Often hard to distinguish from the buff-tailed bumblebee
12. Common eastern bumblebee – Bombus impatiens
- Time active: April through fall
- Size: Large (up to 23 mm)
- Body shape: Bombiform
Body color and pattern:
- Black hairs on head, abdomen, and legs
- Shiny black bald spot at the center of its body
- Single yellow band at waist
Additional points:
- This is the most common bumblebee in North America
13. Cuckoo bumblebee – Bombus vestalis
- Time active: March to May through fall
- Size: Large (up to 24 mm)
- Body shape: Bombiform (but more pointed abdomen)
Body color and pattern:
- Cuckoo bumblebee subspecies have a range of colors
- Common features include dark tinted wings, shiny thorax and abdomen, and, no pollen baskets on legs
Additional points:
- Species native to the UK and Northern Europe
- Like the cuckoo, it lays its eggs in the nest of another bumblebee species
- They mimic the hair color pattern of the species they target
14. Carder bumblebee – Bombus pascuorum
- Time active: Early spring through late fall
- Size: Medium-large (up to 15 mm)
- Body shape: Bombiform
Body color and pattern:
- Fluffy, orange-colored bumblebee with black hairs on the abdomen
Additional points:
- Males, workers, and queens have a similar appearance
- There are three all-orange carder bumblebee species including Moss carder bee, (Bombus muscorum) and Brown-banded carder bee, (Bombus humilis)
15. Large Garden Bumblebee – Bombus ruderatus
- Time active: April to October
- Size: Medium-large (up to 17mm)
- Body shape: Bombiform
Body color and pattern:
- Prominent tongue, black body with yellow collar
- Yellow bands on the thorax and upper abdomen
- White tip on tail
Additional points:
- Forages flowering plants in river valleys
- Its tongue can stretch up to 2 centimeters long
- Underground nesting in colonies of up to 100 bees
MASON BEES (Osmia – Megachillid)
There are 300+ known species of mason bee. Here are the most common types.
16. Two-coloured mason-bee – Osmia bicolor
- Time active: February through fall
- Size: Medium (12mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform
Body color and pattern:
- Black head and thorax
- Orange fuzz on the abdomen
Additional points:
- Common in Europe and Western Asia
- The orange color is less intense in males
17. Osmia (Melanosmia)
- Time active: Spring and early summer
- Size: Medium (14 mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform
Body color and pattern:
- Black, blue, metallic blue, green, or purple
- Few hairs
Additional points:
- North America and Europe
- Solitary
- Nests in abandoned insect burrows or excavates nests in grass or rocks using mud, sand, and leaves
18. Blueberry bee – Osmia ribifloris
- Time active: Spring through fall
- Size: Medium (12 mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform
Body color and pattern:
- Metallic blue green body with hairs on its head, thorax, and abdomen
- Hairs are black in females and black and white in males
Additional points:
- Native to the western US and Mexico
- Solitary pollen gatherer
- Pollinates blueberries
- Nests in abandoned nests and man-made structures
19. Orchard mason bee / blue orchard bee – Osmia lignaria
- Time active: Mid April to late June
- Size: Medium (14 mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform
Body color and pattern:
- Dark metallic blue
Additional points:
- Native to North America
- Solitary
- Nests in narrow holes and tubes
- Active pollinator, that may be used commercially
- Bee houses or insect hotels attract these mason bees
20. Red mason bee – Osmia bicornis
- Time active: Spring through mid-fall
- Size: Tiny (under 10 mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform
Body color and pattern:
- Head is black
- Brown thorax and red-orange-brown abdomen
Additional points:
- Common garden visitor
- Males are smaller but similarly colored
- Females will nest in tubes, hollow plant stems, or holes and lay eggs for the next year
- Will use bug hotels
21. Osmia Californica
- Time active: Late spring through mid-fall
- Size: Medium (15 mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform
Body color and pattern:
- Large stubby head
- Orange fur and dark wings
Additional points:
- Native to North America
- Solitary
- Nests in narrow holes and tubes
- Active pollinator, that may be used commercially
- Similar habitat to the orchard mason bee
CARPENTER BEES (Xylocopa)
There are 500 known species of carpenter bees. Here are the most common types.
22. Eastern carpenter bee – Xylocopa virginica
- Time active: Spring through fall
- Size: Large (up to 20 mm)
- Body shape: Large stocky body
Body color and pattern:
- Pale orange thorax, metallic black abdomen with dark wings
- Males have black faces and females have white faces
Additional points:
- Native to the Eastern US and Canada
- Able to chew and tunnel into wood
- Usually solitary bees, but if resources are limited they may nest as a group
23. Valley carpenter bee / Hawaiian carpenter bee – Xylocopa sonorina
- Time active: Spring through fall
- Size: Large (up to 25 mm)
- Body shape: Large stocky body
Body color and pattern:
- Metallic, shiny black females
- Yellow furry males with green eyes
Additional points:
- Western Texas through California
- Able to chew and tunnel into wood
- Notable pollinator
24. Violet carpenter bee – Xylocopa violacea
- Time active: Spring through fall
- Size: Large (up to 25 mm)
- Body shape: Large stocky body
Body color and pattern:
- Large black and fluffy bees
- Iridescent violet wings
Additional points:
- European carpenter bee
- Nests by tunneling into deadwood
- Buzzes loudly and a clumsy flyer
LEAFCUTTER BEES (Megachilidae)
There are 1500 known species of leafcutter bees. Here are the most common types.
25. Alfalfa leafcutter bee – Megachile rotundata
- Time active: Summer
- Size: Tiny (under 10 mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform – slightly pointed abdomen
Body color and pattern:
- Mostly grey black with thin bands of yellow hairs on thorax and abdomen.
Additional points:
- Smallest leafcutter subspecies
- Commercial pollinator
- Native to Europe but introduced around the world for agricultural purposes
26. Wood-carving leafcutter bee – Megachile ligniseca
- Time active: Early June to early September
- Size: Medium (15 mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform
Body color and pattern:
- Three tone: buff, to yellow to black or gold to red to black.
Additional points:
- Largest leafcutter subspecies
- Able to drill holes in timber
27. Coast leafcutter bee – Megachile maritima
- Time active: Late spring to summer
- Size: Medium (>10 mm)
- Body shape: Megachiliform
Body color and pattern:
- Dark brown bee with golden orange hairs
Additional points:
- Coastal areas, sand dunes and heaths
- Females and males have a similar size
Other Bee Species
28. Yellow-faced bees (Hylaeus)
- Time active: May to September
- Size: Tiny (under 10 mm)
- Body shape: Andreniform Wasp -like body
Body color and pattern:
- Appearance similar to small wasps
- Yellow, white and black marking on the face, thorax and glistening black abdomen
- Almost completely hairless
Additional points:
- American solitary bee species that nests in tunnels
- Many subspecies are found in Hawaii
- Forages pollen and water
29. Furrow bee (Halictus)
- Time active: March to October
- Size: Small (10 mm)
- Body shape: Andreniform
Body color and pattern:
- Varied appearance with colors ranging from metallic brown, green, blue, to red, orange, and purple
- Yellow faces are common
Additional points:
- Second largest bee family, over 4500 sub species
- Solitary
- Known for being attracted to perspiration (sweat bees)
- Ground and wood nesting
30. Box-headed blood bee (Sphecodes monilicornis)
- Time active: March to September
- Size: Medium (>10 mm)
- Body shape: Thin, elongated body
Body color and pattern:
- The blood-red abdomen and box-shaped head are the most distinctive features of this bee
Additional points:
- These bees are known to forcibly invade nests, destroying eggs and larvae
- They then lay their own eggs and reseal the nest
31. Pantaloon bees (Dasypoda hirtipes)
- Time active: June to late August
- Size: Medium (13 mm)
- Body shape: Andreniform
Body color and pattern:
- This bee is identified by the prominent pollen brushes on its legs, that look like pantaloons when filled with pollen
Additional points:
- Found in coastal areas, sand dunes, and heaths
- These bees dig out their nest burrows with large mandibles and use the prominent hair on their legs to brush debris away as they dig
Rounding Up
Throughout the summer months, there are many different bee species you may be encountering in your backyard.
If you have a fruitful plant or crop, they will do their job of pollination and help you out.
Why not be nice to all the bees and supply them with a shallow source of water, or let them sleep in a bug hotel in the winter months?
No matter how small your bee friendly project is, anything you can do to support your local bees can help everyone.