Welcome to Wyoming wasps and bees. The diverse terrain provides ample space for a variety of eastern and western species. It starts with the stinging wasps because they receive the most attention in homes and gardens across the state because of their potential harm to people.
The picture at the top of the page shows the basic umbrella shape of the paper wasp nest. The European Paper wasp is tending the nest. Section two covers bees.
Golden Paper Wasps
Western Yellowjacket (ground nester)
Bald-faced Hornet
Prairie Yellowjacket
More Wyoming Wasps
Western Spider Wasp
Blue Black Spider Wasp
Mexican Grass Carrying Wasp
Prionyx
Black and Yellow Mud Dauber
Great Golden Digger Wasp
American Sand Wasp
Square-headed Wasp
Bee Wolve, Philanthus multimaculatus
Lucospis affinis (female)
Eumenes Potter Wasp
Potter Wasp
Carrot Wasp (female)
Male California Velvet Ant
Female California Velvet Ant
Bees
North American hosts approximately one thousand different species, including its most familiar members, honey bees and bumble bees, along with less familiar names such as Cuckoo Bees, Carpenter Bees and Digger Bees.
The story of flower bees extends far beyond the basic honeybee. Approximately four thousand bees inhabit North America, and many households who practice bee friendly gardening get treated with their presence and pollination help.
Brown-belted Bumblebee (side)
Brown-belted Bumblebee (top)
Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (face)
Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (side)
Yellow-fronted Bumblebee (face)
Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee (side)
Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee (top)
California Bumblebee
California Bumble Bee (face)
Western Bumble Bee
Least Cellophane Cuckoo Bee
Red-footed Sharp-tailed Bee
Western Leafcutter Bee
Furrow Bee
Wide-striped Sweat Bee
Fine Lined Sweat Bee (female)
Fine Lined Sweat Bee (male)
Hairless and small in size, Cuckoo Bees family resemble wasps more than they resemble bees, making them among the least known of the family.
The common name cuckoo refers to the bee’s practice of brood parasitism, like it’s namesake in the bird world, the Cuckoo bird. Adults lay their eggs in ground nests of other bee species, and then let the young fend for themselves.
Digger Bee
Blue Orchard Bee
Leaf-cutter Bees (Megachile)
Western Longhorned Bee (face)
Western Longhorned Bee
Longhorned Bee
Oblong Woolcarder Bee
Female European Woolcarder Bee
Male European Woolcarder Bee
Stelis
Northern Rotund Resin Bee
California Digger-cuckoo Bee