Colletes
Cellophane Bees, like this one I found in late October on Antelope Island, are ground-nesters. Females
line their nests with a clear substance like cellophane, hence the name.
Although this little girl looks exhausted in this photo, these are very industrious little bees. Bees slow down
once the weather cools and they can often be found in a comatose state sitting in the middle of a flower on a cool
morning, where they collapsed the night before. Once they warm up, off they go to do their job of pollinating.
This photo is a little fuzzy but it shows the beautiful pattern in the wings. Only females of the species
have stingers but this little female bee was certainly a cooperative subject, with malice toward none.
You can read an interesting blog about this bee here. © Carol Davis, 10-23-2009
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