UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab

Our mission is to survey and evaluate ecological relationships of native California bee species and their flowers in selected agro and urban ecosystems.

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@wizkid331 The Agapostemon though, which looks similar with its metallic green color is commonly found in the Bay!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

Today's featured bee is the Euglossa, commonly referred to as "orchid bees." Fun fact: The Euglossa has co-evolved with the orchid and consequently developed a long tongue to reach into the long part of orchid to get to the nectar! Spot its long tongue in the second picture!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@wizkid331 These have been found in the Urban Bee Lab's visits to Costa Rica! We have conducted research there throughout the years. They are Neotropic bees. Sorry I couldn't clarify, ran out of characters! They can be found in parts of Florida though!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@FalconFireJose It was not harmed during this shot

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

Special feature today, the Teddy Bear Bee! The male is shown being safely held, as males cannot sting! These bees are given their name due to their distinct golden color. You can find them flying around year round, with peak activity in March-August. Look out for these big guys!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

The featured Bee of the Day is the Peponapis pruinosa! Also called the "Squash Bee," this species is common in California. Females love to visit squash, pumpkin, and gourds for pollen while males and females visit melons and cucumbers for nectar. Find them hiding in flowers!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

Clarification for the Teddy Bear Bee-- it is the name we go by in CA for the Xylocopa varipuncta. Common names for insects are not official scientific names for any species, but the scientific name will now be included with any common name for our bees to avoid confusion!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@Stebeven116 @QuestforLUCA They bite bases of flowers, but not humans!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@zmiller1902 @isolinestudios The males are all yellow and the females are all black!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@Zumorr This is the Xylocopa varipuncta. Common names are not official names, but in CA we do call this bee the teddy bear bee, and as the Urban Bee Lab at UC Berkeley this is the name we go by. These bees can actually be found year round!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@uyfossilday it is! we give it the common name the teddy bear bee

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@ejaywhite @diva_ex_machina In CA we call some of our Xylocopas teddy bear bees! Common names are not official, the scientific name is Xylocopa varipuncta

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@Faemourmourakis @AnneWHilborn common names are not official, so we do call some of our xylocopas teddy bear bees!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@apiculturalLdn True! We will try to do at least a couple every week for all of you! :)

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

The Bee of the Week is Anthophora californica! These bees are often called "Digger bees" and can be found nesting in soil. They can be found visiting the family Lamiaceae, such as Lavandula, Nepeta, and Salvia. Look out for A. californica making large jumps while foraging!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@Blazingflare @RacieBeep budding entomologist there!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

@MollyLittlewolf @Britnatureguide limited edition aviators!

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

Our December Newsletter is out! Check out our newsletter for some information on kleptoparasites and our new garden expansion!

https://t.co/IWc5DFAnRE

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

Our Bee of the Week is Hylaeus punctatus! These bees are known as "masked bees" for their distinctive yellow markings. The male bee has a broader central mark, compared to the female bee (shown here) which has a pair of more narrow vertical marks just inside the compound eyes.

[UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab @uc_bee]

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