20 Beautiful Bee Pictures We Can’t Stop Buzzing About

Updated: Sep. 13, 2022

Birds and butterflies aren't the only beautiful backyard visitors. These pretty bee pictures will give you a new appreciation for pollinators.

278169872 1 Richard A Schultz Bnb Bypc 2021
Courtesy Richard A. Schultz

Fuzzy Bumblebees

Bumblebees were busy at work on these dahlia flowers, making the bee pictures even more beautiful. I took this in summer with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II and a Canon EF 400 mm super telephoto lens,” says Richard A. Schultz.

Discover the best flowers that attract bees.

bee pictures
Courtesy Laurie Painter

Delicate Bee on a Rose

“This photo is special to me because roses are my absolute favorite flower. This little sweat bee has delicate looking wings, just like the flower. I used my Nikon D5100 camera with Tamron 16-300mm lens to take this photo at the Green Bay Botanical Garden,” says Laurie Painter.

Learn how to help the bees in 6 easy ways.

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Courtesy Jean Owens

Sunflower Lovers

“I appreciate a family in Paris, Tennessee, who plants about 10 acres every year and allows us photographers to come and share in the beauty. My love for them never seems to diminish. It is hard to get tired of something when each one is so different,” says Jean Owens.

Check out 7 garden bee species you want to see in your yard.

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Courtesy Phyllis Gay

Bee on Clover

“I was always excited to find clovers as a child, so capturing this moment is very meaningful. These bee pictures were taken in Summerside, Prince Edward Island,” says Phyllis Gay.

Psst—here’s what every beginning beekeeper needs to know.

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Courtesy Amanda Mccully

Fall Fun on the Farm

“I took this picture on a pumpkin farm in Las Cruces, New Mexico, while playing with my goddaughter and her brother. We spent the day in the sun picking pumpkins and taking tractor rides!” says Amanda Mccully.

Bee vs fly: meet the flies that look like bees.

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Courtesy Andrea Garvin

Zinnia Pollinator

“This is a zinnia that I planted in my backyard garden from seed. The color really pops and makes me feel happy. I particularly love this photo because the bumblebee is feeding on the flower and you can see the dots of pollen. It highlights the importance of all pollinators,” says Andrea Garvin.

Learn how to attract and host mason bees in a bee house.

bee pictures
Courtesy Shannon Spahn

Pretty Purple and Yellow

“This photo was taken in the summertime in Berryville, Virginia, and I just love all of the vibrant purple colors of the wildflowers,” says Shannon Spahn.

Learn 7 sweet facts about honeybees.

bee pictures
Courtesy Francis Hoefer

Bees and Butterflies

“This was a beautiful day at the nature center. I had my Nikon d7100 with my Nikon 300 mm lens. It’s not a macro lens, but I was able to get a nice shot of this monarch butterfly and bee on these pretty wildflowers,” says Francis Hoefer.

These gifts for bee lovers are worth buzzing about.

bee pictures
Courtesy Candice Lenney

Worth the Wait

“I tried several times without success to get a matilija poppy plant to grow, even though they are native to my area of San Diego. You can imagine how excited I was when this plant took off on the hillside behind my fence and bloomed this spring. I love the delicate, crepe-like petals of the flower, it’s unusual fried egg appearance and that it is attractive to pollinators. The honeybee, with its legs full of yellow pollen, makes the photo,” says Candice Lenney.

Learn 6 key differences between bees and wasps.

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Courtesy Karen Retter

What an Adorable Bumblebee

“While walking one summer morning, I captured these sweet peas along side the road in Mecosta County, Michigan. I love to see the bright pink blooms each summer,” says Karen Retter.

If you love bee pictures, don’t miss these butterfly pictures.

bee pictures
Courtesy Lori Sheirer

Close Up Bee Pictures

“I love to see the bees busy pollinating all blooms. This photo was taken during a nature walk in Minnesota,” says Lori Sheirer. Did you know that wasps are also pollinators?

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Courtesy Steven Anderton

Flowering Trees and Bees

“This picture was taken in my parents backyard in spring. We have always had these flowering trees that the bees love, as you can see,” says Steven Anderton.

Not an insect lover? These pictures will change how you see bugs.

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Courtesy Monica Guidi

Flying Flower Friend

“I live in southern New Mexico and decided to try and grow poppies this year, and they did so well in our dry heat! The bees especially loved them,” says Monica Guidi.

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Courtesy Marcy Gruber

Summer Visitor

“Summer is short where we live in Walden, Colorado, only a 35 day growing season. So these little bees have to work so hard to gather pollen before the frost ruins the flowers in our garden. I really like the way the pollen on the bees legs matches the color of the flower. He was so busy, he didn’t even notice me!” says Marcy Gruber. Meet more beneficial insects that will help your garden.

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Courtesy Brenda Austin

A Busy Little Bee

“I am always happy to see our pollinators at work. This little bee is visiting my Stokes asters that faithfully bloom every spring,” says Brenda Austin.

Learn how to grow a pollinator garden.

bee pictures
Courtesy Karen Kowals

Bumblebee on Milkweed

“On my daily photo adventure I came upon a large group of milkweed plants. Without milkweed, our monarchs are in great danger. Thus, this bee, as a milkweed pollinator, helps monarchs survive,” says Karen Kowals.

See the top 10 butterfly host plants to attract pollinators.

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Courtesy Melissa Beller

Coneflower Companion

“I was browsing my local nursery and came across this lovely sight. I couldn’t help taking out my phone and snapping bee pictures. Pollinators are so important and I’m thrilled to have been able to see this one in action,” says Melissa Beller.

Don’t miss these dazzling dragonfly pictures.

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Courtesy Bruce Siegel

Bee on a Hummingbird Feeder

“We just moved to North Carolina last fall, so this summer was my first chance to attract hummingbirds. I have four feeders, two in front of the house and two by my office window in back. This young male is telling the bee ‘You are in my spot.’ It has been such a pleasure to watch their aerial acrobatic show this summer,” says Bruce Siegel.

Learn 7 natural ways to keep bees and wasps away from hummingbird feeders.

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Courtesy Judith Cushman

Dazzling Dahlia Surprise

“A flower farm in Massachusetts has the most gorgeous variety of dahlias, as well as many other flowers. I love the contrast of the pink and yellow colors and the bumblebee enjoying a snack in the center,” says Judith Cushman.

bee pictures
Courtesy Christine Morrissey

Nothing to Fear

“I reluctantly went over to my many black-eyed Susans, knowing that there would be bees pollinating the blooms. Although I’m afraid of bees, I began to think of this one as my little friend. He gave me a fine photo shoot,” says Christine L. Morrissey.

Next, don’t miss these pictures of spiders that will change your mind about them.