Buzzworthy Facts:
- Mom bees use their sharp jaws to scrape the soft, fuzzy hairs off of garden plants, roll them into a tight ball, and fly it home tucked under her chin.
- Adorned with bright yellow and black stripes on their bodies, they are much fuzzier and wider than a wasp.
- Dad Carder bees are very territorial and protect their favorite flowers by flying fast and body-slamming other insects.
- Dad bees cannot sting, but they have three to five little spikes on the end of their bellies to help push away intruders.
- Instead of packing pollen into baskets on their legs, the Mom bees scoop up yellow pollen on the furry underside of their tummies.
- Carder bees move into old beetle tunnels, hollow stems, or holes in wood logs.
In the bee world, carder bee females are usually larger, but carder bee males are much bigger and heavier.
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High Desert Helpers is sponsored through the Trails+ Grant Program by the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division.
