Spring often arises with a buzz in the air. After a winter devoid of humming pollinators, they suddenly seem to burst from every flowering shrub and clump of grass. Bees zipping among flowers must rank up next to bird song as one of the most celebrated signs of spring.

As spring begins to fade into summer, bee diversity shifts. In fact, June is a slow month for northeastern bee diversity—most of the spring specialists have come and gone, many bumble bee queens are underground laying eggs, and a majority of workers won’t appear in significant numbers until the end of the month.

Of course, there are still plenty of bees to find, and several genera appear for the first time in June. Visit the VAL website to learn more.