Centris

Fabricius, 1804

Oil-diggers

Species Guides

10

Centris is a of approximately 250 large apid bees distributed from the southern United States through South America. Females are specialized oil collectors, possessing morphological adaptations for gathering floral oils from plants, primarily in the Malpighiaceae, which they use for larval nutrition and construction. The genus is sister to the corbiculate bees (honey bees, bumble bees, ) and represents an important lineage for understanding evolution and pollination .

Centris errans by (c) USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Centris nitida by no rights reserved, uploaded by Jade Fortnash. Used under a CC0 license.Centris nitida by no rights reserved, uploaded by Jade Fortnash. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Centris: /ˈkɛn.trɪs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from the closely related Epicharis by the absence of long, whip-like setae projecting backwards from behind the . Large body size (up to 3 cm) and rapid are characteristic. Females possess specialized structures for carrying floral oils.

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Habitat

Found in diverse including American deserts, open shrubby vegetation (Caatinga), semi-deciduous forest and Cerradão (Cerrado), and urban areas. Nests are excavated in clay or hard soils, with some using horizontal, sunny, sandy surfaces without vegetation.

Distribution

Neotropical and Nearctic realms, ranging from Kansas south to Argentina.

Diet

Females collect floral oils primarily from Malpighiaceae, and also from Plantaginaceae, Calceolariaceae, and Krameriaceae. Pollen is gathered from multiple plant including Solanaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Malpighiaceae, and Ochnaceae, often using buzz pollination.

Life Cycle

Ground-nesting solitary bees. Nests consist of excavated tunnels in soil, typically with a main tunnel leading to a linear series of urn-shaped . Cell caps feature a characteristic hollow central projection. Nest construction and provisioning are performed by females alone.

Behavior

Males exhibit diverse mate-searching strategies including hovering at food plants and scent-marking territories. In some , males display alternative reproductive tactics with dimorphic and : large-morph males use scent-based searching in hot ground-level microclimates, while small-morph males use visual cues for hovering in cooler aerial microclimates. Nesting females seal nest entrances at night with soil, pebbles, and twigs.

Ecological Role

Important of multiple plant . Documented as significant pollinators of Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa) and cashews (Anacardium occidentale). The relationship with Krameria is obligate for the plants, though the bees utilize multiple oil-producing .

Human Relevance

Of economic significance in pollinating crops including Brazil nuts and cashews. Subject of extensive behavioral research, particularly C. pallida as a model system for studying alternative reproductive tactics and climate change impacts on body size.

Similar Taxa

  • EpicharisClosely related distinguished by presence of long, whip-like setae projecting backwards from behind the , which are absent in Centris.

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