UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A new Penn State Extension publication, "Bees of Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Genera," is intended for those interested in learning to identify and learn about the diversity of over 440 bee species in Pennsylvania ecosystems.
“Bees are critical for plant reproduction around the globe because of their role in pollination,” noted Margarita López-Uribe, the Lorenzo L. Langstroth Early Career Professor of Entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences. “Pennsylvania is not an exception. Bees here play a role, both in the pollination of plants in natural habitats and in agriculture, so it is important to know and recognize what bees are around us.”
Designed for anyone wanting to become more familiar with biodiversity in Pennsylvania, the guide provides an overview of the diverse bee genera found in the state. López-Uribe noted that nonexperts can use the guide’s short descriptions of the biology and morphological traits of the different genera to identify bees in the field to the genus level.
The publication also contains a core table listing all the genera present in Pennsylvania, including information about different life history traits such as how social the bees are, whether they are specialists, their nesting habits, whether they are parasitic and how common they are. The table presents a summary of each genus with photos showing the bees’ appearance.
The guide draws from the research and expertise of Penn State Extension entomology and arthropod specialists; members of the López-Uribe lab; a specialist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture; bee identification specialists; and Penn State Extension Master Gardeners.
"The Bees of Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Genera" is available for free in print or as a digital download online. A Spanish language edition of the guide is also available to order in the same formats.