Solitary Bees

representatives of the superfamily of bees that lead a nonsocial manner of life. There are some 2,000 species, found throughout the world.

In all species, the female cares for the young. The bees build their nests in the earth, in wood, or in hollow stalks or from clay, pieces of leaves, and so forth. The female fills every cell of the nest with a mixture of pollen and nectar and then lays an egg in the cell and seals it. Parasitic solitary bees lay their eggs in the cells of other species that have already been filled. All species are beneficial as plant pollinators.