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Hymenoptera vary in the habitats used for resources. As adults, many species are predators, feed at flowers for pollen and nectar, or use a combination of these resources. During the larval stages, some species are parasites, or pests of plants.
Bees, which include both social (e.g., bumble and honeybees) and solitary (e.g., leafcutter bees, sweat bees) species, are thought to be the most important pollinators of many native and introduced plants. Few plants in the temperate regions of the world have obligate relationships with particular pollinators but bees are considered the most efficient insects at manipulating restricted-access flowers.
Bee families and genera common on Montana flowering plants and their sociality, nest sites, and provision type (click on the insect names in table to view images if available):
More research is needed to fully understand the pollination of our native and managed plants by native bees.
Plant and insect names are linked to the USDA NRCS Plant Database and the Bugwood Network insectimages.org, respectively.
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