| Bee Species | Key Characteristics |
Habitats & Behavior |
Financial Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honeybees | Lives in hives with queen, workers, drones. Produce honey. | Managed hives, some feral hives. Social, coordinate hive activities. | High, crucial for agriculture and honey industry. |
| Bumblebees | Larger, furry bees. Live in small colonies with queen. | Underground nests, grasslands. Social, but small colonies. | Significant, especially for greenhouse crops. |
| Carpenter Bees | Solitary bees that tunnel into wood to nest. | Wood structures, trees, fences. Solitary nesters. | Mixed; beneficial for pollination, but can cause structural damage. |
| Mason Bees | Solitary bees that use mud or leaves to make nest cells. | Natural cavities like hollow stems. Solitary nesters. | Positive, used in orchard pollination, low maintenance. |
| Leafcutter Bees | Solitary bees that cut leaf pieces to line nests. | Nests in cavities. Solitary nesters. | Positive, effective pollinators with minimal damage to plants. |
| Blue Orchard Bees | Solidary bees, specialized for fruit tree pollination. | Nests in cavities. Solitary nesters. | Very positive, efficient in orchard pollination, reducing need for honeybee rental. |
| Mining Bees | Solitary ground-nesting bees. | Underground nesters. Solitary nesters. | Positive, enhance pollination diversity and effectiveness, especially in natural ecosystems. |