Bees in Arizona in April

Yes, April is one of the best months to see bees in Arizona. It is the 1st busiest month of the year, with 6,690 of the 36,985 sightings logged across the year (18.1%), based on verified iNaturalist records.

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By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated June 28, 2026.

Macrotera mellea photographed in ArizonaInterrupted Digger-cuckoo Bee photographed in ArizonaValley Carpenter Bee photographed in Arizona
Photos by iNaturalist observers, used under Creative Commons.

Peak month for bees in Arizona

18.1%

of yearly sightings

6,690

records in April

#1

busiest month of 12

36,985

verified records a year

March 12.2%, April 18.1%, May 13.9%. Busiest month is April at 18.1%.

Best months: April, May, March

36,985 verified observations of bees in Arizona, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.

When bees are recorded in Arizona

Peak month

April

6,690 records (18.1% of the year)

Quietest month

January

593 records

MonthObservationsShare
January5931.6%
February1,4493.9%
Marchpeak4,53012.2%
Aprilpeak6,69018.1%
Maypeak5,12913.9%
June3,71710.1%
July3,5359.6%
August4,02110.9%
September3,2788.9%
October2,1595.8%
November1,2183.3%
December6661.8%

Bees you are most likely to see

SpeciesVerified observations
Western Honey Bee7,861
Sonoran Bumble Bee1,750
Western Carpenter Bee1,513
Valley Carpenter Bee1,231
Hunt's Bumble Bee778
California Digger Bee765
Ligated Furrow Bee633
Centris pallida510

In Arizona, April carries 18.1% of the year's bees sightings, about 9.8 points above an even month-to-month split. That makes it the 1st busiest of the twelve months, out of 12 months with recorded activity.

Activity is rising from March (12.2%) into April, and it heads toward May (13.9%) after. This is right inside the peak window, so April is one of the surest months to plan a trip around.

The bees most often recorded in Arizona are Western Honey Bee, Sonoran Bumble Bee and Western Carpenter Bee. Those counts are annual totals rather than a April split, so treat them as which species you are likely to encounter, while the month figures above show how many sightings fall in April itself.

Which bees you are most likely to see

  • Western Honey Bee7,861 records
  • Sonoran Bumble Bee1,750 records
  • Western Carpenter Bee1,513 records
  • Valley Carpenter Bee1,231 records
  • Hunt's Bumble Bee778 records
  • California Digger Bee765 records
Plan your tripChiricahua National Monument

Plan your bee trip in Arizona

Start with live tours near Chiricahua National Monument, then compare a nearby stay and a broader wildlife backup before you lock in the trip.

Frequently asked questions

Can you see bees in Arizona in April?+

Yes. April accounts for 6,690 of the 36,985 verified bees sightings logged in Arizona across the year, which is 18.1% of the annual total.

Is April a good time to see bees in Arizona?+

April is one of the best months. It ranks 1st of the year and sits inside the peak window of April, May and March.

What month is best for bees in Arizona?+

April is the single busiest month, with the broader peak running through April, May and March, based on 36,985 verified observations.

Which bees are you most likely to see in Arizona?+

The most-recorded species in Arizona are Western Honey Bee, Sonoran Bumble Bee and Western Carpenter Bee, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.