solitary bee

American  

noun

1. any of numerous bees, as the leaf-cutting bees, that do not live in a community.

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Etymology

Origin of solitary bee

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

Other solitary bee species do this as well, which is why they’re also called mason bees.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 22, 2021

“They are really incredible for our environment and our habitat so people who rent them usually have orchards or gardens or want to help the solitary bee population,” she said.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 21, 2021

Jan. 26 Rath and composer Hoehn lead a garden walk-through of the solitary bee hotels and and other outdoor works, along with a tour of the gallery, from 1 to 3 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2020

Unlike wasps, bumblebees or solitary bee species, honeybees live in large hives—and these massive, malleable complexes can buffer them against stressors, Berenbaum says.

From Scientific American • May 24, 2019

The genus Sitaris, which is allied to the blister-fly and to the oil-beetle, is parasitic on a kind of solitary bee which excavates subterranean galleries, each leading to a cell.

From A Book of Natural History Young Folks' Library Volume XIV. by Jordan, David Starr