When people see bees emerging from small holes in their lawn or garden, they often assume they are dealing with the familiar honey bee. This confusion is common because the honey bee is the most recognized species globally. However, the buzzing activity around small soil tunnels represents a completely different group of insects. These ground-nesting species are ecologically distinct from their famous, honey-producing relatives, differing fundamentally in social structure, origin, and nesting habits.
Ground Bees Are Not Honey Bees
The difference between a ground bee and a honey bee lies in their taxonomy and social organization. Honey bees, belonging exclusively to the genus Apis, are eusocial insects that live in large, complex colonies that can number in the tens of thousands. These colonies produce wax combs inside a sheltered cavity, such as a managed hive or a tree hollow, which they defend year-round. The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is not native to North America, having been introduced from Afro-Eurasia centuries ago.
In contrast, the term “ground bee” refers to hundreds of native bee species, including those from families like Andrenidae and Anthophoridae, that use the soil for nesting. These insects are overwhelmingly solitary, meaning each female acts as her own queen, digging her own burrow and raising her own young. They do not live in a single, massive hive with a shared queen or produce large amounts of stored honey.
Identifying the True Ground Bee
Common groups of ground bees include Mining Bees (Andrena spp.) and Digger Bees (Anthophora spp.), though Sweat Bees (Halictidae) also nest in the soil. Mining bees are typically fuzzy, ranging from 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch long, and can be dark, brightly striped, or metallic green. Unlike the honey bee, which uses specialized hind legs (corbiculae) for carrying pollen, ground bees carry pollen in dense hairs on their legs or abdomen.
The most telling sign of a ground bee is the nesting structure. This consists of a single, small hole in the soil, often surrounded by a miniature volcano-shaped mound of excavated dirt. While individual females are solitary, they may nest in close proximity, forming large “aggregations” in areas with suitable soil, but each female maintains her own separate tunnel.
Key Differences in Behavior and Safety
The behavioral distinction between these bee types centers on aggression and nest defense. Honey bees are highly defensive of their large, perennial honey store and will swarm to sting perceived threats near the hive entrance. Ground bees, conversely, are docile because they have no communal hive or shared resources to defend.
The female ground bee possesses a stinger but will only use it if she is actively handled, crushed, or stepped on. The high-traffic buzzing seen low to the ground in spring is often the activity of stingless males patrolling the area looking for emerging females. Ground bees are effective native pollinators for many wild plants and early-blooming fruit trees.
Living Alongside Ground Bees
Ground bee presence is short-lived, with adult activity lasting only a few weeks in the spring or early summer. Since they prefer to excavate nests in dry, bare patches of soil, homeowners can discourage nesting without resorting to chemicals. Regularly watering the area during their nesting period will make the soil unsuitable, prompting the females to move elsewhere.
Planting dense ground cover or establishing thick turf in areas of bare soil will also eliminate the nesting habitat they require. Because these native insects are harmless and provide valuable pollination services, experts advise against the use of pesticides for their management. Allowing them to complete their life cycle supports local native bee populations and overall plant health.