Colorado State University Extension Fact Sheets on Pollinators!

Check out two newly released CSU Fact Sheets on pollinators:

These two fact sheets are great resources for anyone looking to learn more about pollinators and creating habitat in their backyards.

Bee of the Week - Heriades spp.

Family - Megachilidae

Scientific Name - Heriades spp.

Heriades  spp. bees are found throughout most of the world. Only three species are found east of the Rocky Mountains, and another 25 species are found in North and Central America.  They are small, black, and commonly have woolly patches of hair on their abdomens, which is how they got their name; ' Heriades'  means wool. These bees are generalists, so they visit a wide variety of flowers. They nest in other insects’ holes, especially beetles, but some species are also known to use pine cones as a nest.  Heriades  spp. are difficult to distinguish from  Hoplitis  spp.  ( see last month's newsletter, Bee of The Week ) . Each genus has microscopic characteristics that differentiate the two.

Sources: Bees in Your Backyard

Photo: H. Go, BugGuide.net

Plant of the Week - SPANISH PEAKS ^®  foxglove

Scientific Name - Digitalis thapsi

Spanish Peaks foxglove was introduced to North America in 1999. As the name implies, it’s from Spain originally. It has pink flowers that bloom in early summer and furry leaves. The plant is a perennial that does best in dry, sunny climates. Spanish Peaks foxglove prefers clay, loam, or sandy soils and is deer-resistant. The plant grows to be 12-18 inches tall and 10-12 inches wide. A variety of native bees are frequent visitors.  For more information, click here .

Source and photo: Plant Select®

What's the Buzz? Pollinators in the News

California Bumblebee Decline Linked to Feral Honeybees . Research shows that honey bees will outcompete bumble bees and native bees for resources.



How Urban Heat Affects Bee Populations. A new from North Carolina State University concludes that the urban heat island effect may contribute to bee diversity in urban areas.

Elephants Are Very Scared of Bees. That Could Save Their Lives. How the elephants' fear of bees is being used as a tactic for elephant conservation.

Missed a Newsletter or a Native Bee Watch Update? 

All newsletters and updates are available on the website at  nativebeewatch.wordpress.com .

Previous newsletters are also here: 

Photo: Micaela Truslove

Note the pollen-collecting hairs on the legs of this bee on a sunflower at Nix Farm, 2016. Photo: Lisa Mason