Bees

Question 1

Basic bee taxonomy

Answer 1

Bees are the superfamily Apoidea, within the order Hymenoptera.

Question 2

Colletidae

Answer 2

A short-tongued family of bees known as plasterer bees. UK species include the ivy bee. No species in this group are parasitic.

Question 3

Andrenidae

Answer 3

A short-tongued family of bees known as mining bees. They collect pollen in dry clumps on the hind legs using pollen brushes (scopae). No species in this group are parasitic.

Question 4

Halictidae

Answer 4

A short-tongued family of bees known as sweat bees. Some species parasitise solitary hosts.

Question 5

Melittidae

Answer 5

A short-tongued family of bees known as melittid bees. There are only a few species in the UK. No species in this group are parasitic.

Question 6

Megachilidae

Answer 6

A long-tongued family of bees known as mason or leafcutter bees. They collect pollen on the underside of the abdomen using pollen brushes (scopae). Some species parasitise solitary hosts.

Question 7

Apidae

Answer 7

A long-tongued family of bees which includes bumblebees, honey bees, carpenter bees and cuckoo bees. Most species collect pollen in pollen baskets (corbiculae) on the hind legs. Some species parasitise social or solitary hosts.

Question 8

Bombus

Answer 8

A genus of bees within the family Apidae that are known as bumblebees. The seven common UK species are:
B. pratorum (early bumblebee)
B. pascuorum (common carder bee)
B. lapidarius (red-tailed bumblebee)
B. lucorum (white-tailed bumblebee)
B. terrestris (buff-tailed bumblebee)
B. hortorum (garden bumblebee)
B. hypnorum (tree bumblebee)

Question 9

Nomada

Answer 9

A genus of bees within the family Apidae (subfamily Nomadinae) that are known as nomad or cuckoo bees. They are difficult to identify to species level.

Question 10

Apis

Answer 10

A genus of bees within the family Apidae that are known as honeybees. It includes the western honey bee (A. mellifera) which has been domesticated.