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Bee City USA

In 2019, The City of Arlington became a Bee City USA affiliate. Bee City USA is an initiative of The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. It is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. The program focuses on pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation and reducing pesticide use. Bee City USA focuses on bringing local governments and their communities together in order to sustain native pollinators.

There are approximately 700 native bee species in Texas. 80% of native plants in Texas rely on these and other pollinators to reproduce. In the U.S. $18 to $27 billion dollars’ worth of food production relies on the direct contribution of pollinators. In fact, one out of every three bites of food we eat is courtesy of a pollinator. Pollinators need food and nesting places in order to thrive. We can help by conserving and restoring habitat that is pesticide free and contains an abundance of native flowering plants.

Educational outreach about native bees and other pollinators such as bats, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, wasps, flies and beetles is the first step to improving pollinator habitat in the City of Arlington. Arlington’s Bee City USA initiative will focus on providing educational material and resources on Texas Native Bees and other Texas pollinators. The initiative will promote habitat conservation and restoration on both public and private land. By increasing pollinator habitats, we also get many other benefits. Using native and/or adaptive plants to provide food and nesting places for pollinators also reduces pesticide and fertilizer use, improves local water quality and decreases water usage.

Be City affiliates commit to the following:

Establish a standing Bee City USA committee to advocate for pollinators
Create and enhance pollinator habitat on public and private land
Incorporate pollinator-conscious practices into city policies and plans
Host annual pollinator awareness event or planting
Publicly acknowledge Bee City USA affiliation with signs and website
Annual report of activities

Learn more about Bee City USA at Bee City USA or visit Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation at Xerces website.

Native Bees of Texas

There are more than 800 species of bees found in Texas. They are classified into 6 families.

Apidae - bumble bees, honey bees, carpenter bees and orchid bees
Andrenidae - mining bees
Colletidae - cellophane bees, polyester bees and plasterer bees
Halictidae - sweat bees
Megachilidae - leafcutter bees
Melittidae - plant oil collecting bees

Over 700 of these species are native to Texas and provide essential pollinator services to native plants as well as fruit, vegetable, and nut crop species. Over 90% of Texas's native bees are solitary species. These nests are established and provisioned by a single female bee. They typically nest in the ground or in dead woody material. Generally, these bees are harmless. They will only sting when handled roughly or if there is a threat to them.

Ground Nesting Bees

Ground nesting bees prefer open sparsely vegetated areas providing access to bare ground. These bees burrow into the ground to build their nest. The nest site is easy to identify because of the conical pile of dirt with a large entrance hole in the middle. Even though each female builds her own nest, many females may build their nests next to each other. These bees are most active during the spring when the males are looking for mates. Many of these bees can be found in your back yard and are important pollinators for your garden.

Ground Nesting Bee Examples

Digger Bee – Anthophora capistrata
Dark-Faced or Mournful Long horned Bee – Melissodes tristis
Smooth-Faced Miner Bee or Miserable Andrena – Andrena miserabilis
Texas Cellophane Bee – Colletes texanus
Sunflower Bee – Svastra obliqua
Honey-Tailed Striped Sweat Bee – Agapostemon melliventris
Chimney Bee - Diadasia rinconis

Cavity Nesting Bees

Cavity nesting bees use their mouth parts to carve holes in soft wood or use holes left by insects in dead trees, stumps, downed logs or pithy hollow stems. These bees can be found in rock crevices or even snail shells.

Cavity Nesting Bee Examples

Leafcutter Bee – Megachile chomskyi
Southern Carpenter Bees – Xylocopa micans.
Texas Small Carpenter Bees – Ceratina texana
Blue Orchard Mason Bee – Osmia lignaria

Bumble Bees

Of all the native bees, Bumble bees are the most recognizable. They are an important pollinator to agricultural crops and contribute to the pollination of hundreds of flowering native plants. Bumble bees, with a few exceptions, are a social species. During the spring, an individual queen establishes a nest in or on the ground in tufts of grass or abandoned rodent burrows. After the queen establishes her nest she lays eggs which develop into worker bees. She relies on these “daughter” bees to forage for nectar and pollen, care for developing larvae and defend the colony. A bumble bee colony may contain up to 200 or more workers. The bumble bee colony generally lasts from the spring until late summer or early fall. The founding queen and all her workers perish as flowers diminish and temperatures drop leaving only the hibernating queens to start the cycle again.

There are 55 species of Bumble bees in the US however only 9 have been identified in Texas.

Visit the Southwest Branch Library Garden

The City of Arlington’s Bee City USA committee and Stormwater Management Division are partnering with Tarrant Regional Water District for a new Native Plant and Pollinator Garden at the Southwest Branch Library at 3311 SW Green Oaks Blvd. We will be utilizing the existing statue and rock on the west side of the library but adding new native plants to attract pollinators. This new project continues our mission to create new pollinator habitat and provide educational outreach opportunities to our residents.