Digger Bee Control Services

What Do Digger Bees Look Like?

Digger bees are solitary ground-nesting bees, and their appearance can vary somewhat by species, but there are some general characteristics you can look for:

• Size: Most digger bees are medium-sized, typically around ½ to ¾ inch long (about 12–20 mm). Some species may be slightly smaller or larger.
• Color: They are usually black or brown, sometimes with golden or reddish hairs, especially on the thorax. Some may have faint banding or pale hairs on the abdomen.
• Body Shape: Their bodies are slightly robust and hairy, which helps them carry pollen. Unlike honeybees, their bodies are less streamlined and often look “fuzzier.”
• Wings: Their wings are clear to slightly brownish and proportionate to their bodies.
• Legs: They have strong legs with spines, especially the front legs, which help them dig into the soil for nesting.
• Behavior Clues: Unlike honeybees, digger bees are solitary, so you often see a single bee flying low to the ground or hovering near bare patches of soil rather than in large groups.

If you see a bee actively digging or hovering near sandy or loose soil with minimal vegetation, that’s a strong sign it could be a digger bee.

Where Are Digger Bees Found?

Digger bees are ground-nesting and solitary, so the places you encounter them are closely tied to their nesting and foraging habits:

Soil and Nesting Sites

• Sandy or loose soil: Digger bees prefer well-drained, loose soil that’s easy to excavate. This can include sandy patches, garden beds, or even the edges of lawns.
• Bare patches of ground: Areas without thick grass or dense vegetation are ideal for them to dig burrows. You might notice small holes in these patches—these are often their nests.
• Sunny locations: Digger bees like warm soil, so they often nest in sunny spots rather than shaded or damp areas.

Gardens and Landscaped Areas

• Flower gardens: They are pollinators, so they are drawn to flowers with open access to pollen and nectar, such as sunflowers, lavender, or native wildflowers.
• Vegetable gardens: Especially if there’s exposed soil, digger bees may nest nearby while foraging on crops.

Lawns, Driveways, and Paths

• Cracks in hard soil or compacted areas: Some species can dig in compacted soil, gravel, or along garden paths.
• Edges of lawns or walkways: Look for small, round holes in the soil—these are typical digger bee entrances.

Natural Areas

• Meadows and open fields: Wild digger bee species are often found in areas with sparse ground cover and abundant flowering plants.
• Roadside embankments or sandy banks: They like undisturbed soil and sunny slopes.

If you see small, solitary bees hovering low over a bare patch of soil in sunny weather, they are likely digger bees. Unlike honeybees or bumblebees, they don’t form large colonies, so you’ll rarely see many in one spot.

Digger Bee Life Cycle

The life cycle of digger bees is fairly straightforward, reflecting their solitary, ground-nesting habits:

Egg Stage

• Nest construction: Female digger bees excavate a burrow in loose soil, often with branching tunnels that lead to individual brood cells.
• Provisioning: Each cell is stocked with a mixture of pollen and nectar, which serves as food for the developing larva.
• Egg laying: The female lays a single egg in each cell and seals it off. There is no communal care, unlike honeybees.

Larval Stage

• Hatching: The egg hatches into a larva, which immediately begins feeding on the pollen-nectar provision.
• Growth: The larva grows inside the sealed cell, gradually consuming the food supply.
• Duration: This stage usually lasts a few weeks, depending on the species and environmental conditions.

Pupal Stage

• Cocoon formation: Once the larva has fully fed, it spins a cocoon within the cell and pupates.
• Metamorphosis: Inside the cocoon, the bee undergoes transformation from larva to adult.
• Timing: Pupation can take a few weeks to several months, depending on temperature and season.

Adult Stage

• Emergence: Adults emerge from the soil, usually in spring or early summer, when flowers are abundant.
• Mating: Males typically emerge first and wait near nesting sites to mate with females.
• Nesting: Fertilized females begin new nests, repeating the cycle.
• Lifespan: Adults live for a few weeks to a couple of months, long enough to mate and lay eggs.
• Univoltine species: Most digger bees have one generation per year, although some may have multiple generations depending on climate.
• Solitary behavior: Each female independently builds and provisions nests; there is no worker caste or hive.
• Overwintering: In colder climates, pupae or pre-emerged adults often overwinter in the soil, emerging in spring.