Mining Bee Identification

Mining Bee


Mining bees are beneficial to pollination of many different types of plants. Along with carpenter bees, they are solitary bees. They do not share in the feeding and tending to young in a “family” group. They will cooperate to use a common entrance tunnel and corridor to their nests, but do not share the same nest.

Mining bees are 1/4″ to 1/2″ long and vary in color (mostly dark, but some with markings of white, yellow or reddish brown). As the name implies, they dig underground to build their nest. Nests are usually located in dry areas, with exposed soil and proper drainage. There is usually a small mound of dirt with pencil-sized holes in the dirt. They hibernate in their tunnels over the winter and in spring continue building their tunnels.

Even though mining bees are not aggressive, they can sting if provoked. For some people, just the sight of a few of them hovering above the ground is very unnerving. Extermination, while not necessary, is one option to eradicate them from your property. Please contact our office for more information.