In fire-adapted ponderosa pine forests of western North America, fire suppression policies during much of the 19th century gradually resulted in high stem densities undesirable for fire risk management. To restore desirable forest structures, regional ecosystem management efforts often focus on reducing stand densities and re-introducing fire disturbances. However, it remains unclear whether these practices benefit insect species important for ecosystem function, including native bees. Bee community assemblages were sampled across the growing season in 39 ponderosa pine stands for two years in central Colorado to model effects of fire and thinning disturbances on bee populations. Four key findings emerged: (1) overall native bee diversity consisted of 5 families (Andrenidae, Apidae, Colletidae, Halictidae, and Megachilidae), 30 genera, and at least 70 unique bee species. Predominant genera were bumblebees (Bombus spp.), mason bees (Osmia spp.), and digger bees (Anthophora spp.), accounting for 50%, 9%, and 5 % of all captures, respectively. (2) Average bee abundance did not vary among burned, thinned, or non-treated control stands, though bee species richness and diversity were highest in stands affected by high severity wildfire. (3) Bee community composition differed among disturbance types, and there was turnover in the ratios of Bombus: Osmia species between control and burned stands. (4) Representation of bee nesting strategies at sample sites also differed due to fire and thinning disturbances, but these effects were moderated by seasonality. We link variation in forest structure to bee assemblages using linear models and show that presence of coarse woody debris has positive effects on overall forest bee abundance, richness, and diversity. Ponderosa pine forests in central Colorado provide habitat for a diverse assemblage of native bee species, and thinning operations are not associated with reductions in bee diversity, and fire disturbances were associated with enhanced bee foraging and nesting habitats. Bee community composition and associated life histories vary across disturbance types and unique bee assemblages are associated with different disturbance histories. Accordingly, maintaining a mosaic of thinning treatments and promoting wildland fire use that results in a gradient of burn severities may increase floral resources and nesting opportunities and can help to maximize overall bee biodiversity at a landscape scale.