California Digger Bee (University of Arizona Pollinator Field Guide)

California Digger Bee

Anthophora californica

Who am I? ⁴

~crawls out of a nest in the ground~
Oh! Hiya there! It is I, Anthophora californica, otherwise known as the California Digger Bee. We are a species of Anthophorine bee and much like our relatives, are known for constructing nests beneath the soil. We prefer to live a solitary life, though our female counterparts enjoy socializing a little more than us males do. The females will typically set up their nests closer to each other, sometimes aggregating by the hundreds. It might be good to watch where you step in the dirt on occasion! When it comes to feeding and pollination, our long tongues come in handy when trying to get closer to tubular flowers; and with the help of our strong wing muscles we are able to perform buzz pollination as well. These two traits make us important players in maintaining wildflower diversity across the range. If you are interested in catching a glimpse of us, it might be good to have quick eyes for we tend to fly fast! We have a very stripe-y rear end (abdomen) that has much more contrast than a honey bee. We are also more docile than our more social Hymenopterans (honeybees and wasps), and will likely not sting unless you provoke us.

Quick facts ⁴

Common name: California Digger Bee

Scientific name:Anthophora californica (Cresson 1869)

Characteristics:

Integumental white bands on abdomen
Eyes are typically green
Males may have reddish hind limbs that are sculpted with prominent points
Each bee will build their own nest (solitary)
Females can be gregarious in nature and will build their nests close to each other
Nests are usually in the ground
Long tongues (helps with tubular flowers)

Nectar plant: Like Apis mellifera, California Digger Bees will visit a variety of flowers. Click on this link from Discover Life to see the whole list: https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Anthophora+californica#Hosts

Distribution: North America to Central America

Flight times: Appears to be most active during the months of April and May. See seasonality: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/308726-Anthophora-californica

Read more about Anthophora californica here: ID GUIDE TO WILD BEES OF THE NATIONAL BUTTERFLY CENTER, https://www.wildbeestexas.com/anthophora

Where can you find me on campus? ⁴

Much like Western Honey Bees, California Digger Bees are likely to be found where the flowers are. Not a lot of data has been collected on these swift bees around campus, but based on what is available (and from personal attempts at spotting these babies) it appears as though a majority of them will prefer tubular flowers. These can be the yellow bignonias nearby the Education building. Alternatively, perhaps there happens to be a selection of flowers planted at the Old Main fountain or elsewhere around campus that may attract the digger bees as well.