Horned-face bee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hornfaced bee
Scientific classification

The Hornfaced bee, also known as Osmia cornifrons, is a special type of bee. It lives all by itself, not in big colonies like honeybees. You can spot it by the small, horn-like bumps on its face. These bees are originally from places like Japan, Korea, China, and Russia. Hornfaced bees are usually very calm. They are much less likely to sting you compared to other bees.

Hornfaced Bee History

Hornfaced bees were first brought to Japan in the 1940s. Farmers started using them to help pollinate their crops. Over 50 years, more and more apple farms in Japan began using these bees. By the 1990s, over half of Japan's apple orchards used them.

In 1977, Hornfaced bees were also brought to the northeastern United States. The goal was to help fruit crops grow better there too. These bees were introduced again several times in the following years.

Helping Plants Grow: Pollination

Hornfaced bees are very good at pollinating flowers quickly. A single bee can visit up to 2,500 flowers in just one day. They spend about 4 to 8 minutes at each flower. These bees tend to stick to the same type of flower. This is called "flower constancy."

Both male and female bees build their nests close to crop fields. Most nests are within 130 meters of the field. However, some nests have been found much farther away, even up to 700 meters.

Hornfaced bees are active during the day. They are busiest between 6 AM and 8 PM, depending on the sun. They do not like to fly or look for food when it rains. They are not very good at flying in wet weather.

These bees do best in humid places. They work very well in areas with steady humidity. But they can also work in cooler temperatures. This ability to handle different temperatures makes them very valuable for farmers. They are even better at pollinating than honeybees in some conditions.

Life Cycle of the Hornfaced Bee

Hornfaced bees have short adult lives. They spend most of their time growing and changing. Their life cycle has six main stages. These include spring incubation, pre-nesting, nesting, development, pre-wintering, and wintering.

The time when male and female bees come out depends on the weather. This is especially true during spring and winter. In winter, bees stay safe inside cocoons to protect themselves from the cold. Warmer temperatures can make them come out earlier. If winter lasts too long, bees might use up all their stored energy. This can make them sick or even die.

Male bees usually come out of their nests around April. This is just before apple trees start to bloom. Female bees emerge about 2 or 3 days later. The bees usually come out right when crops are ready for pollination. If they come out too early, they might not find enough food. This can also affect how well they pollinate.

Mating and Nesting Behavior

A male bee will wait outside a female's nest. He tries to get her attention by climbing on her back. He rubs his antennae on her body. This can go on for several hours before the female allows him to mate.

After mating, both male and female bees fly to a nearby field. They both help pollinate flowers. Male bees continue to pollinate for a few weeks, then they die.

Female bees leave their nests for a few days. During this time, their bodies get ready to lay eggs. Then, they either go back to their old nest or build a new one. Bad weather can affect this process. This can make it harder for females to get ready to lay eggs.

A female bee collects pollen from nearby crops. She brings it back to her nest. She shapes the pollen into a small ball. She then lays a single egg on top of this pollen ball. Her eggs are usually about one-tenth the length of her body. A female bee can lay up to 30 eggs in her lifetime.

Scientists think female bees can choose the sex of their babies. Male bees have one set of genes, while female bees have two sets. Female bee larvae get more pollen than male larvae. This is why female bees grow bigger than males. If a nest is in trouble, the female bee might lay more male eggs. Female bees need more food to grow properly. But adult female bees are better at collecting food and pollinating than males.

Larvae Development

The growth of bee larvae also depends on temperature. They grow best between 12°C and 18°C (about 54°F to 64°F). They can also grow at 25°C (77°F). If the temperature is too hot or too cold, their growth slows down or stops. Hornfaced bees can die if exposed to temperatures below -12°C (10°F).

Building Nests

Hornfaced bees like to build their nests in bamboo, reeds, or old holes in trees. To pick a good spot, the female bee goes inside. She moves to the very end of the possible nest. She turns upside down and moves left and right to check the space carefully.

If a female bee uses a nest that was used before, she cleans it out. She removes any old bits and pieces left behind. Inside the nest, she builds separate little rooms, called cells. She lays one egg in each cell. After laying an egg, the female bee seals off the cell with mud.

Bee Pests

Hornfaced bee populations can be harmed by tiny pests called mites. Some common mites are Chaetodactylidae nipponicus and Chaetodactylus krombeini. C. krombeini mites can cause big problems for Hornfaced bees. They have the worst effect on how many bees survive and how well they work.

These mites live in the bee nests. They eat the pollen that the female bee left for her babies. When there is less pollen, the bee larvae might die. Or they might not grow properly. If female larvae don't develop well, they won't be as good at pollinating when they grow up. This can hurt the whole bee population.