Purple Sand Cherry and Bees

I have a tree form purple sand cherry about 6 feet in height and about 6 years old. This summer we pruned some lower heavier branches to give the tree a more compact shape. The last few weeks we have noticed literally hundreds of bees landing on the branches and walking on the branches throughout the tree. Can anyone help me with why? and how to get rid of the bees --I am fearful that if I spray with an insecticide I will kill the tree. Thanks

 

Are the bees actually causing a problem? If not, I'd just allow this to remain an interesting mystery.

I suppose the tree must be producing some chemical the bees find enticing.

 

identifying the'bees' might help too. Are they honeybees, bumblebees, hornets, yellowjackets?

I know my parents have a Tilia (aka Linden / Basswood) tree in their back garden that gets covered with hornets late each summer, when the aphids are present in heavy numbers prior to their honeydew becoming fodder for sooty mold.

 

I have had a purple sand cherry in the garden for 20 yrs and prune it regularly and have never had anything like you describe. There must be something else on the leaves that has attracted them. I have a varigated poinsianna (sp?) that is covered in small bees every year but they don't bother anyone.