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The chimney bee or miner bee, Anthophora abrupta, is a solitary digger bee widely distributed throughout the eastern United States, including in Louisiana. Adult female chimney bees are 13 mm to 16 mm in body length and 5 mm to 6 mm wide. Males are more variable in size, 12 mm to 17 mm in length. The head and abdomen are black, and the thorax is covered with dense yellow hair (setae), often with a black patch near the middle where the setae are abraded. Males possess yellow faces. Both males and females have large, finely faceted eyes. Their distinct flight pattern was described in an early publication as conspicuous and bold, “with all the exuberance of boys just out of school.”
Their nesting sites can be identified by a huge aggregation of turret-like nest entrances made of clay. These turrets are approximately 12 mm in diameter and vary in length, some reaching up to 3 inches. A lengthwise slit is often present. Because of these unique structures, these bees are sometimes called turret-building bees.
The bee fauna of Louisiana includes 266 known or suspected (based on surveys performed in adjacent states) species, including several species that have never been formally described. Seven species of fairy bees (Perdita spp.) are recorded for Louisiana. Due to their small sizes, similar appearances and large species diversity (52 species in the U.S.), fairy bee identification to species is difficult and requires examination of subtle anatomical details under high magnification.
Adult female Anthophora abrupta, dorsal and frontal views (USGS-BIML team, www.usgs.gov. Public domain image).
Chimney bees have solitary nesting and brood care habits, but are gregarious, usually nesting in large groups where appropriate substrate is present, often along clay banks of rivers and creeks. Adults emerge during spring from burrows after overwintering as pupae, with males emerging a few days before females. Emergence begins during April in areas with warmer springs, including Louisiana, and may occur as late as June in northern states. Adults begin foraging for nectar and pollen immediately, and mate on flowers. Males may mate with multiple females but do not survive long after their mating duties are complete. Females only mate once.
Chimney bees exhibit nesting site fidelity, often returning to their natal nesting areas to construct their own nests. Burrows are constructed by softening the clay with water, followed by digging horizontally 100 mm to 125 mm. Excavated clay is used to build the chimney that encircles the entrance hole. The chimneys are thought to be important in thermoregulation, allowing females to warm up more rapidly because the chimneys warm faster than the surrounding substrate. They also protect the burrow from flooding. Six to eight brood chambers are dug at right angles to the main tunnel, and these are provisioned with pollen and salivary secretions. A single egg is deposited in each chamber. Bees waterproof the inner surfaces of the burrow with secretions from their Dufour's gland. Although large numbers of burrows may be present in a small area, they are not connected, and bees only care for their own brood. After provisioning and ovipositing, the brood chambers and eventually the entire burrow are sealed with a clay plug. Larvae hatch after five days and require about three weeks to develop while feeding on the pollen mixture provisions in the sealed brood chambers.
Adult male Anthophora abrupta, lateral and frontal views (USGS-BIML team, www.usgs.gov. Public domain image).
Chimney bees feed on pollen and nectar collected from a wide variety of flowers and thus provide an important ecosystem service through pollination. Recent work has demonstrated that this species can potentially be managed and may be adapted to provide pollination services for crops like blueberries, raspberries, tomatoes, persimmons and more. Chimney bees and solitary bees in general are docile and do not pose a threat to humans or pets, though they may attempt to sting if handled roughly. Because of their important service as pollinators, chimney bees are not considered pests and should be left alone if encountered.
Contact Us: For advice about pest identification or diagnosis, contact the LSU AgCenter Department of Entomology. Reach the department through the Contact Us webpage.
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9/11/2025
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