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Common Long-Horned Bee

Melissodes communis[3]

The common long-horned bee is a solitary, ground-nesting native bee named for its very long antennae.[1][2]

Group
Insect
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Apidae
US records
24 states
Sources
3 cited
Updated
2026-10-16
Common long-horned bee, fuzzy and striped, on a yellow flower
Common long-horned bee, fuzzy and striped, on a yellow flower. (c) Jake McCumber, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0
On this page
  1. Identification
  2. Look-alikes
  3. Where it lives
  4. Biology
  5. Damage and signs
  6. Health risk
  7. Control
  8. Related profiles
  9. Common questions
  10. Sources

How to identify it

  • It is about 9 to 15 mm long and fuzzy, with yellowish wings and antennae that can reach past the waist to the abdomen.[1][2]
  • Many longhorn bees have yellow faces; females have very hairy hind legs for carrying pollen.[1][2]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Squash beesMembers of the same longhorn bee tribe that collect pollen only from squash-family flowers.[2]

Where it lives

The most widely distributed Melissodes, from northwestern Canada across the continental United States to southern Mexico.[1]

US map: public records from 24 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

It nests underground; much of its life cycle is still unstudied.[1]

Adults are typically most active in late summer and fall.[1]

Damage and signs

  • No damage: it pollinates wildflowers such as ironweed, sneezeweed and mountain mint, and crops including squash, sunflower and blueberry.[1]

Health risk

A valuable native pollinator that is not aggressive.[2]

Control

Prevention

No control is needed; long-horned bees are gentle pollinators.[2]

Common questions

What is the fuzzy bee with very long antennae on my sunflowers?
Often a long-horned bee such as Melissodes communis.[1][2]

Sources

  1. University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS, Featured Creatures), “Common Long-Horned Bee, Melissodes communis (EENY-756).” ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1304 (accessed 2026-10-16)
  2. Missouri Department of Conservation, “Longhorn Bees (Field Guide).” mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/longhorn-bees (accessed 2026-10-16)
  3. iNaturalist, “Melissodes communis taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/224858 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-16. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.