4 ms·

What would a non-native honey bee in the wild look like? I live in California and the bees in my garden and in the local parks are various. Some look like bum

What would a non-native honey bee in the wild look like? I live in California and the bees in my garden and in the local parks are various. Some look like bumblebees and some look like just bees but I don't know bees from bees.

tptacek 11y ago
Here's a good starting point: http://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/MontanaBeeGuide-Final.pdf http://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/MontanaBeeGuide-Final.pdf
recusancy 11y ago
It would look like a honeybee https://www.google.com/search?q=honey+bee&safe=off&espv=2&biw=1709&bih=915&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIye2YrMyXxwIViUGSCh0idAsZ https://www.google.com/search?q=honey+bee&safe=off&espv=2&bi... A lot of what you're seeing are probably wasps (the yellow jacket being one variety).
wang_li 11y ago
> What would a non-native honey bee in the wild look like? It would look like a honey bee. None of them are native. Native bees are orchard mason bees.
kaitai 11y ago
tptacek has a very efficient guide to bees posted. Another nice national one that is very comprehensive is the USDA's guide at http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5306468.pdf http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb530646... . Scroll to page 17 or so to start looking at illustrations of particular bees if you don't want to read about their habits. But the best for CA is the Berkeley Bee Lab's page on native bees at http://www.helpabee.org/common-bee-groups-of-ca.html http://www.helpabee.org/common-bee-groups-of-ca.html There was a great art & education & science installation on native bees at the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley a few years back (http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Shirley-Watts-Mouthings-at-Botanical-Garden-2325642.php http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Shirley-Watts-Mo...). I know they still have a beehive, and they might have some exhibits on native bees.
- thrownaway2424 11y ago
  The Berkeley site is neat, but it's got a picture of the european honey bee right at the top and no mention of it being non-native.

tptacek 11y ago

Here's a good starting point: http://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/MontanaBeeGuide-Final.pdf http://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/MontanaBeeGuide-Final.pdf

recusancy 11y ago

It would look like a honeybee https://www.google.com/search?q=honey+bee&safe=off&espv=2&biw=1709&bih=915&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIye2YrMyXxwIViUGSCh0idAsZ https://www.google.com/search?q=honey+bee&safe=off&espv=2&bi... A lot of what you're seeing are probably wasps (the yellow jacket being one variety).

wang_li 11y ago

> What would a non-native honey bee in the wild look like? It would look like a honey bee. None of them are native. Native bees are orchard mason bees.

kaitai 11y ago

tptacek has a very efficient guide to bees posted. Another nice national one that is very comprehensive is the USDA's guide at http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5306468.pdf http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb530646... . Scroll to page 17 or so to start looking at illustrations of particular bees if you don't want to read about their habits. But the best for CA is the Berkeley Bee Lab's page on native bees at http://www.helpabee.org/common-bee-groups-of-ca.html http://www.helpabee.org/common-bee-groups-of-ca.html There was a great art & education & science installation on native bees at the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley a few years back (http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Shirley-Watts-Mouthings-at-Botanical-Garden-2325642.php http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Shirley-Watts-Mo...). I know they still have a beehive, and they might have some exhibits on native bees.

thrownaway2424 11y ago
The Berkeley site is neat, but it's got a picture of the european honey bee right at the top and no mention of it being non-native.