Not all bees live in a big community with a queen and workers. Some bees live alone and, although they do not produce honey or beeswax, they are important pollinators.
Solitary bees build their own nests and lay their own eggs. They use pollen to create food for their young in nests they make. Most solitary bees dig nests in the ground, but some make many small nest holes in wood. The bee deposits eggs in the hole and some food, then seals off the cell. She might make several nest holes, but usually dies once she makes the nests.
One more good thing about solitary bees: They rarely, if ever, sting.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
