![Colletes inaequalis Photo by: E. Johnson](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-plasterer-bees-595x600.jpg)
![](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-about-us-hero-banner-470x258.jpg)
Bee Types
Worldwide, there are over 20,000 bee species in seven Families. Some commonly encountered and recognizable genera in eastern North America are described below.
Family Colletidae—Plasterer and Masked Bees
![Colletes inaequalis Photo by: E. Johnson](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-plasterer-bees-595x600.jpg)
![Yellow-faced Bee (Hylaeus sp.) Photo by: S. Nanz](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-masked-bees-640x448.jpg)
Masked bees (genus Hylaeus)
Family Halictidae—Sweat Bees
![Lasioglossum sp. Photo by: S. Nanz](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-small-sweet-bees-640x448.jpg)
Small sweat bees (genus Lasioglossum)
![Augochlorella sp. Photo by: J. Ascher](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-green-metallic-bees-800x566.jpg)
Green metallic bees (genera Agapostemon, Augochlora, and Augochlorella)
![Sphecodes sp. Photo by: Tom Murray](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-sphecodes-cuckoo-bees-560x373.jpg)
Sphecodes cuckoo bees (genus Sphecodes)
![](http://greatpollinatorproject.org/sites/default/files/greatpollinator/Tom.murray%20sphecodes%20sp%20Mass.jpg)
Family Andrenidae—Miner Bees
![Claytonia bee (Andrena eringinae) Photo by: J. Ascher](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-miner-bees-320x244.jpg)
Family Melittidae—Melittid Bees
![Macropis sp. Photo by J. Ascher](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-macropis-oil-collecting-bees-800x600.jpg)
Family Megachilidae—Leaf-cutter Bees, Mason Bees, and Allies
![Megachile brevis Photo by: K. Matteson](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-leaf-cutter-bees-500x375.jpg)
Leaf-cutter bees (genus Megachile)
![](http://greatpollinatorproject.org/sites/default/files/greatpollinator/Megachile%20brevis%20female%2C%20a%20leafcutter%20bee%20%28Megachilidae%29%20on%20Butterfly%20Milkweed.jpg)
![Coelioxys sayi Photo by: J. Ascher](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-leaf-cutter-cuckoo-bees-705x600.jpg)
Leaf-cutter cuckoo bees (genus Coelioxys)
![Osmia bucephala Photo by: J. Ascher](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-mason-bees-699x600.jpg)
Mason bees (genus Osmia)
![Wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) Photo by: E. Johnson](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-wool-carder-bees-384x286.jpg)
Wool carder bees (genus Anthidium)
Rotund, medium-sized bees with distinctive yellow and black coloration. The common name is due to the behavior of the females, who scrape hairs off of leaves to create a soft nest where they lay their eggs. Often observed on the garden plants lamb’s ear (Stachys lanata byzantina) and foxgloves (Digitalis species).
Family Apidae—Bumble, Honey, Cuckoo, Long-horned, and Carpenter Bees
![Bombus fervidus Photo by: K. Matteson](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-bumble-bees-738x600.jpg)
Bumble bees (genus Bombus)
![Honey bee Photo by: P. Ersts](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-homey-bee-800x532.jpg)
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
![Nomada articulata Photo by J. Ascher](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-nomada-cuckoo-bees-773x600.jpg)
Nomada cuckoo bees (genus Nomada)
With yellow striations on abdomen, may appear wasp-like. Primarily parasitize miner bees (genus Andrena) but also other genera. Rare.
![Melissodes sp. Photo by: S. Nanz](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-long-horned-bees-800x560.jpg)
Long-horned bees (genus Melissodes)
![Ceratina sp. Photo by: S. Nanz](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-small-carpender-bees-640x448.jpg)
Small carpenter bees (genus Ceratina)
![Large Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica) Photo by: E. Johnson](../../_files/images/about-images/great-pollinator-project/bee-types/gpp-the-pollinators-bee-types-large-carpenter-bees-656x600.jpg)
Large carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica)
![](http://greatpollinatorproject.org/sites/default/files/greatpollinator/DSC_0261cropped%20carpenter%20bee.jpg)