Some bees are social and live in colonies, while others are solitary.
Many ground-nesting bees, while solitary, are often seen making nest holes in the ground in one area and giving the appearance of being a colony. Bees nest in hollow reeds, holes in wood, abandoned beetle burrows or mouse tunnels in addition to the ground. There are over 3000 species of bees in North America. Both solitary and social species are important in crop pollination. The social species, honey bees and bumble bees, are more easily managed yet they are more aggressive when it comes to protecting the nest or colony.