Centris lanosa

Centris lanosa is placed in the subgenus Paracentris. It is described as 'wooly,' suggesting a notably hairy or lanose body covering. The species can be distinguished from other Centris bees by its specialized association with oil-producing Krameria flowers. Males and females both visit these flowers, though only females collect oils. The bee has been noted to produce a distinctive buzzing sound when foraging at ground level among Krameria plants.

Occurs in dry, sandy habitats including sand shinnery oak shrubland. Associated with riparian buffers in mixed pine-hardwood forests. The habitat is characterized by well-drained soils where host plants of the genus Krameria can establish. Elevation and moisture regimes appear to favor drought-adapted vegetation communities.

Two disjunct populations in the United States: southwestern population and southeastern population. Southeastern records previously limited to northern Florida; first Georgia record from Treutlen County in May 2024 extends the known range northward by more than 250 km. GBIF records indicate presence in Middle America and North America.

Adult activity recorded in May and June. The May 2024 Georgia record and June observations from Oklahoma suggest spring to early summer flight period, coinciding with Krameria lanceolata flowering.

Specialized oil-collector. Adult females collect fatty oils from elaiophores (modified petal structures) of Krameria lanceolata and other Krameria species. These oils are mixed with pollen to form larval provisions. Unlike most bees, adults do not collect nectar as a primary resource.

• Krameria lanceolata - obligate pollinator and oil-collectorPrimary host plant for oil collection; Krameria species are wholly dependent upon Centris bees for pollination, though the relationship is not mutually exclusive as C. lanosa uses other oil-producing plants

Females forage at ground level among prostrate Krameria plants, producing a distinctive buzz audible to observers. Oil collection involves scraping fatty secretions from the elaiophore surfaces using specialized morphological adaptations. The bee has been successfully captured in blue vane traps, suggesting response to visual cues. Foraging activity appears concentrated during host plant bloom period.

Obligate pollinator of Krameria lanceolata; the plant species is wholly dependent upon Centris bees for sexual reproduction. As an oil-collector, represents a specialized pollination syndrome involving approximately 150 plant species worldwide that produce floral oils rather than nectar.

• Other Centris speciesMany Centris species are also oil-collectors, but C. lanosa is distinguished by its specific association with Krameria lanceolata in its southeastern range and its disjunct distribution pattern. Subgenus Paracentris placement separates it from members of other subgenera.

• oil-collecting bee
• Krameria pollinator
• disjunct distribution
• specialized forager
• ground-nesting bee

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Friday flower – Krameria lanceolata | Beetles In The Bush
• First record of <i>Centris</i> (<i>Paracentris</i>) <i>lanosa</i> (Apidae: Centridini) in Georgia, United States