Research and Projects

This is a female ground-nesting solitary bee from the Andrenidae (the Mining bee) family of which we have over 200 species in Canada. The bright yellow you are observing is her pollen collection! These bees hibernate as adults over the winter, emerging in the early spring (photo taken May 20, 2025).  These mining bees can be found in the hundreds in early May through early June, swarming around the rocks at the bell tower beside the pond. They can also be found making use of old rodent holes around the campus. The males are far less hairy with a sleeker black abdomen. They will be observed "dive bombing" the females in attempts to mate. Later in May, you can also watch for a wasp-like reddish brown shiny bee, the cleptoparasitic nomada bee! She will be found, trying to sneak her own eggs into the andrenids nest where their larvae will then parasitize the provisions left behind by its andrena host! 

For more information on andrenid bees go to https://www.albertanativebeecouncil.ca/andrenidae