Blueberry Digger Bee
Habropoda laboriosa
This record describes Habropoda laboriosa (species). Recorded family: Apidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A good pollinator of blueberries. It is estimated that each female visits nearly 50,000 Vaccinium ashei flowers in its lifetime, producing over 6,000 ripe blueberries with a fresh market value of $20 U.S.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Trigonaloidea
- Family
- Apidae (Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees)
- Subfamily
- Apinae
- Tribe
- Anthophorini
- Genus
- Habropoda
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
November, January and February in Florida, elsewhere March to May.
Geographic Range
Illinois to the New England states, south to Mississippi and Florida. Discover Life Map . It has been also been collected in Quebec and Ontario, Canada.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Primarily blueberry. The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known floral associations based on specimen records and images.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: Fabricius, 1804.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Habropoda laboriosa. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Blueberry Digger Bee (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Beatriz Moisset; Additional contributions by John S. Ascher , hg , PaleoJon , bdagley
Frequently Asked Questions About Blueberry Digger Bee
What is Blueberry Digger Bee?
Blueberry Digger Bee (Habropoda laboriosa) is a species in the family Apidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Blueberry Digger Bee?
Female 15.5-16mm. Male 13-14 mm.
Where is Blueberry Digger Bee found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | November, January and February in Florida, elsewhere March to May. |
| Range | Illinois to the New England states, south to Mississippi and Florida. Discover Life Map . It has been also been collected in Quebec and Ontario, Canada. |
What does Blueberry Digger Bee eat?
The diet of the Blueberry Digger Bee includes Primarily blueberry. The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known floral associations based on specimen records and images..