Identifying a Bee in Portland - Ask Extension
Hi,
Is there an online reference where I can look up a bee we saw in our yard in Portland?
(If anyone can identify it for us, that would be nic...
Knowledgebase
Identifying a Bee in Portland #805503
Asked August 09, 2022, 6:43 PM EDT
Hi,
Is there an online reference where I can look up a bee we saw in our yard in Portland?
(If anyone can identify it for us, that would be nice too!)
There are two attached images. We were cleaning under some trees and it appeared to be nesting in the ground. We have a bee box for Mason bees on the other side of the house, but haven't seen those black mason bees in a couple of months. This bee was near our "tiny pond" of standing water/wet planter in the yard.
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi David,
Yes, here is a link to a guide to bees in the Portland area from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation...
https://www.xerces.org/publications/identification-and-monitoring-guides/pocket-guide-to-identifying-bees-of-portland
The bees you are seeing are black-tailed bumblebees (Bombus melanopygus). They are one of the common species of bumblebees we see in the Willamette Valley.
Here is a bit more info from Wikipedia....This bumblebee can utilize a number of habitat types, including agricultural
and urban areas. It is "one of the few bumblebees still found regularly in San Francisco. It feeds on many types of plants, including manzanitas, Ceanothus, goldenbushes, wild buckwheats, lupines, penstemons, rhododendrons, willows, sages, and clovers. It nests underground or above-ground in structures.
Enjoy!
Yes, here is a link to a guide to bees in the Portland area from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation...
https://www.xerces.org/publications/identification-and-monitoring-guides/pocket-guide-to-identifying-bees-of-portland
The bees you are seeing are black-tailed bumblebees (Bombus melanopygus). They are one of the common species of bumblebees we see in the Willamette Valley.
Here is a bit more info from Wikipedia....This bumblebee can utilize a number of habitat types, including agricultural
and urban areas. It is "one of the few bumblebees still found regularly in San Francisco. It feeds on many types of plants, including manzanitas, Ceanothus, goldenbushes, wild buckwheats, lupines, penstemons, rhododendrons, willows, sages, and clovers. It nests underground or above-ground in structures.
Enjoy!
