Perdita ericameriae

Timberlake, 1958

Perdita ericameriae is a small mining bee in the Andrenidae, described by Timberlake in 1958. The epithet "ericameriae" suggests a -plant association with Ericameria, a of shrubs in the sunflower family. Like other Perdita species, it is a solitary, ground-nesting native to North America. The genus Perdita comprises some of the smallest bees in North America, with many species showing strong floral specialization.

Perdita ericameriae by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Perdita ericameriae: /pɛrˈdiːtə ɛˌrɪkəˈmɛrɪ.aɪ/

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Images

Distribution

North America

Host Associations

Ericameria - probable pollen/nectar sourceInferred from epithet; requires confirmation

Similar Taxa

Perdita meconisSame ; both are small, solitary mining bees in Andrenidae with potential -plant specialization
Other Perdita species members share small size, solitary ground-nesting , and often exhibit floral specialization; microscopic examination typically required for -level identification

More Details

Nomenclature note

The specific epithet "ericameriae" strongly implies an ecological relationship with Ericameria (goldenbush/rabbitbrush), a common western North American shrub . This follows a pattern seen in many Perdita where epithets reflect documented or presumed plants. However, direct observation of this association has not been confirmed in the provided sources.

Taxonomic context

Perdita is a large of small mining bees, with over 800 described in North America. Many are extreme , with some species restricted to single plant genera or even species. The genus is taxonomically challenging due to small size, morphological similarity among species, and limited biological data for many .