Native to the West: California carpenter bees are native to California and parts of neighboring states.

Large and Shiny: They’re large, about 1 inch long, and have a shiny, hairless abdomen, unlike bumblebees.

Wood-Boring: They tunnel into wood to build nests, preferring softwoods like pine and cedar, but they don't eat the wood.

Pollinators: Carpenter bees pollinate plants, especially flowers like squash and cucumbers.

Solitary: These bees don’t live in colonies. Each female creates her own nest and raises her young alone.

Males Don’t Sting: Male carpenter bees don’t have stingers and can’t sting, though they may act aggressively. Only females can sting.

Life Cycle: After mating, females create tunnels, lay eggs, and provide food for the larvae. New bees emerge the next spring.

Defensive Behavior: Male bees defend the nest by hovering around, but they can’t sting.

Important for Ecosystems: Though they can damage wood, they’re important pollinators for many plants.

Native Bees: Mining bees are native to San Diego and play a key role in pollination.

Soil Preference: They nest in sandy or loose soil, creating underground tunnels.

Solitary: Each female mining bee builds and maintains her own nest; they don’t live in colonies.

Pollinators: They pollinate native plants by collecting pollen and nectar, especially in spring and summer.

Efficient: Mining bees exhibit "flower constancy," visiting the same type of flower to ensure effective pollination.

Small and Fuzzy: These bees are small, with fuzzy bodies that help them gather pollen.

No Honey: Mining bees don’t produce honey or wax like honeybees.

Threats: They face challenges from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.

Conservation: Mining bees are important for ecosystems and agriculture, helping plants grow and reproduce.

Native to San Diego: Long-horned bees are native to San Diego and other parts of North America.

Distinctive Antennae: They are named for their long, curved antennae, which are much longer than those of other bees.

Pollinators: They are effective pollinators, especially for sunflowers and other wildflowers.

Solitary: Long-horned bees are solitary, with each female building and maintaining her own nest.

Nesting: They nest in the ground, often in loose or sandy soils, creating burrows for their eggs.

Appearance: These bees are medium-sized, with hairy bodies that help them collect pollen.

Active in Summer: They are most active during the warmer months, particularly in the late spring and summer.

No Honey Production: Unlike honeybees, long-horned bees do not produce honey or wax.

Flower Constancy: They exhibit flower constancy, meaning they typically visit only one type of flower during a foraging trip, making them efficient pollinators.

Threats: Like many native bees, long-horned bees face threats from habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change.

Appearance: Green sweat bees are small, shiny, and metallic green or blue in color, often mistaken for flies.

Attracted to Sweat: They are called "sweat bees" because they are attracted to human sweat, which they drink for its salt content.

Pollinators: These bees are important pollinators, especially for flowers like sunflowers and other wild plants.

Solitary: Green sweat bees are solitary bees, meaning they don’t live in large colonies like honeybees.

Non-Aggressive: They are generally not aggressive and rarely sting, unless provoked.

Nesting: They nest in the ground, often in bare or disturbed soil, where they dig small tunnels to lay their eggs.

Life Cycle: Females lay eggs in the ground, providing pollen and nectar for the developing larvae. The bees emerge in the spring or summer.