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A solitary ground-nesting bee at the entrance to a small burrow in bare soil.
Environment

Do all bee species live in colonies with queens and workers?

Published

Verdict
False
Verification confidenceHigh

Explanation

No. Many bee species are solitary rather than living in colonies organized around queens and workers. Females of these species prepare nests and provide food for their own offspring.

The USGS identifies solitary bees such as Perdita minima and describes the diversity of native bee nesting habits. The Xerces Society explains how solitary females construct brood cells in soil, stems or other cavities, placing an egg and provisions in each cell.

Solitary does not necessarily mean widely separated. Several females may nest close together, and some species share an entrance while maintaining separate brood cells. An aggregation of nests is therefore not automatically a colony with a queen and workers.

Key takeaway

The queen-and-workers model does not describe every bee. Solitary nesting and social colonies are different ways of life.

Evidence

USGS identifies solitary bee species

U.S. Geological Survey

Contradicts the claim

USGS names Perdita minima as a solitary bee and describes diverse nesting habits among native bees, providing a counterexample to the claim that all bees form social colonies.

Based on: U.S. Geological Survey

Solitary females provision their own brood cells

Xerces Society

Contradicts the claim

Xerces describes solitary females constructing nests and individual brood cells, rather than relying on a colony organized into queens and workers.

Based on: Xerces Society

Neighbouring nests do not establish a social colony

Xerces Society

Provides context

Solitary bees can nest in dense aggregations. Some share an entrance while each female maintains her own brood cells.

Based on: Xerces Society

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