Native solitary bees

6982.     They scare me whenever I water the plants and I have no idea what they are. Do they sting? Calgary, Alberta. Canada

Number 6982. This is one of the many species of native solitary bees. These are primarily ground (burrow) or cavity-nesting, and are very valuable as pollinators. They are not aggressive, but can sting if mishandled. Just let them go about their business.