Investigating the diversity and composition of microbiomes associated with native bees is essential for understanding their health and resilience, particularly considering their widespread population declines. Bee gut microbiomes vary across species and are shaped by factors such as nest provisions, diet, and modes of transmission. However, eusocial and solitary bees have differing microbiomes. In general, solitary bees acquired their gut microbiomes primarily from environmental sources, including food and nest provisions, whereas eusocial bee maintain more stable microbiomes through social interactions within the caste. This study focuses on characterizing the gut microbiomes of native bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) collected in the College Station/Bryan area. Bees were caught through sweep netting excursions conducted during the spring and summer 2025 and were kept alive during this process for dissection. Dissections were performed to isolate whole guts for DNA extraction, followed by microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to assess microbiome composition and relative abundance, and quantitative PCR to estimate absolute abundance. A total of 95 gut microbiomes were characterized within the families of Apidae, Halictidae, and Megachilidae, providing insights into the microbiome diversity across the main families of native bee species present in this area. Identification of bee specimens were confirmed through taxonomic keys and Texas A&M’s reference collection.
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