Deep beneath the surface of a well-manicured lawn, an industrious creature is hard at work. The lawn miner bee is a solitary bee that spends its short life cycle tunneling through the grass, getting ready to create a nesting environment for its eggs.
Seeing “soil volcanoes” in your lawn is a tell-tale sign that lawn miner bees are present. These small mounds of dirt are created as the bees dig their way down into the ground.
But should you be worried about these insects? Here’s what you should know about miner bees, and what you can do to keep them under control.
What are Miner Bees?
Lawn miner bees are small, black insects that measure around 15 millimeters long. They have furry body wings, and they’re most active in the springtime. The females will lay their eggs in the burrows they create, and the larvae will develop into adults over the course of a few weeks.
Unlike other bee species, they are solitary bees. This means that they don’t live in colonies, and they don’t produce honey. Instead, female miner bees build a nest on their own, gathering pollen to give to their young.
The bees get their name from their habit of mining through the grass. This is where female bees lay their eggs. The larvae develop inside these holes, and when they’re ready to hatch, they’ll tunnel their way to the surface.
As they tunnel, the bees push the dirt out of their way, which creates small mounds on the surface of the lawn. You might notice these mounds in early spring when the miner bees are most active.
As for the male miner bees – they have a single role – to breed. Once they’ve mated, they die. The females will go on to build their nests and lay their eggs.
Although they may seem like a nuisance, lawn miner bees do not pose any significant threat to humans. Surprisingly, they don’t bite, sting, or carry any diseases. In fact, they’re actually beneficial to the environment because they help pollinate plants and flowers.
So, if you see a few brown patches on your lawn, there’s no need to panic. These insects are more of a nuisance than anything else. These creatures aren’t going to harm you, your family, or your pets.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Get Rid of Miner Bees
Despite their small size, these bees are incredibly important pollinators. The female bee collects nectar and pollen from flowers that bloom early during the season. The bees then form their collected pollen into small balls and carry it back to their nest.
This process alone involves multiple trips from the flowers to their nest, helping other plants pollinate during their journey. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t get rid of miner bees:
They are Excellent Pollinators
As mentioned earlier, the way they gather nectar and pollen from early spring flowers helps other plants pollinate. This is because they visit the same flower multiple times in one trip, allowing other bees to transfer pollen as well. Depending on the size of the bee, they can visit up to 500 flowers in a single day!
They Have a Short Lifespan
Lawn miner bees only live for about six weeks. This is because the males die soon after mating, and the females die after laying their eggs. Once their job is done, they don’t stick around for long.
Lawn Miner Bees Aren’t Aggressive
Unlike honey bees, miner bees don’t pose any threat to humans. They aren’t aggressive and will only sting if they feel threatened. Even then, their stinger is not long enough to penetrate human skin, so there’s no need to worry about them causing any harm.
They’re Not a Nuisance
Some people believe that miner bees are a nuisance because they leave small holes in the lawn. However, these holes are usually no larger than a quarter-inch wide and pose no threat to the integrity of your lawn.
They Help Aerate Your Lawn
Aside from pollinating plants, lawn miner bees help you with yard work. In fact, the digging they do can actually help to aerate your lawn. This is good news for gardeners, as aerated soil is crucial for plant growth.
How to Get Rid of Miner Bees
Despite knowing how helpful these creatures can be, some people still want to eliminate them. If you’re one of those people, there are a few things you can do to get rid of miner bees:
Find Their Nest
The best way to get rid of miner bees is to find their nest and destroy it. This can be difficult, as the nests are usually hidden underground. You’ll find their nests if you see low-flying bees near the ground or small holes in your lawn.
If you find a nest, wait until nightfall and pour boiling water down the hole. This will kill the bees and their larvae.
Use Insecticide
Using insecticides or poison is not recommended, as it can be harmful to other animals and insects in your yard. If you must use this method, wait until nightfall and then spray the nest with insecticide.
Make Your Yard Less Attractive to Bees
Another way to get rid of miner bees is to make your yard less attractive to them. This can be done by removing any early-blooming flowers or plants from your yard. While this may not be possible for some gardens, it’s worth a try if you’re struggling to get rid of these bees.
You should also make sure to keep your lawn trimmed and free of debris.
Reconsider Getting Rid of Them
As long as they don’t pose a threat to you or your family, lawn miner bees can be beneficial to have around. If you’re still not convinced, consider these benefits before making a decision.
Lawn Miner Bees: Final Thoughts
Because of their short lifespan and helpful nature, lawn miner bees are nothing to worry about. In fact, they can be quite beneficial to have around!
If you really have to, carefully look for their nest, use the right ground insecticide, and make your yard less attractive to bees. But before you do anything, reconsider getting rid of them altogether. These creatures are more helpful than you may think.