Learn More About Native Bees Through Penn State Extension

If you would like to learn more about Pennsylvania's native bees, we invite you to explore Penn State Extension's website at extension.psu.edu and type key words such as "native bees" or "pollinators" in the search bar at the top of the page. You will find a wide range of offerings about native bees and how to provide habitat that supports them.

You can also download a free digital copy of Bees of Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Genera. This illustrated field guide provides an overview of the diverse bee species found in Pennsylvania, and provides readers with an understanding of their ecological roles, highlighting their taxonomy, natural history, and identification traits.

Pennsylvania is home to over 400 bee species, classified into 47 genera across six families: Apidae, Halictidae, Andrenidae, Megachilidae, Colletidae, and Melittidae. The guide focuses on genus-level identification, as species-level identification can be challenging due to rarity and similarity.