Melissodes communis

Cresson, 1879

Common Long-horned Bee, Common Longhorn Bee

Melissodes communis is a solitary in the , commonly known as the common long-horned bee. Males are distinguished by exceptionally long , a characteristic feature of the . The species occurs across North and Central America. Like other Melissodes species, it is a ground-nesting bee that visits flowers for pollen and nectar.

Melissodes communis, male, face 2012-06-29-16.10 by Sam Droege. Used under a Public domain license.

Melissodes communis, male, side 2012-07-02-17.10.44 ZS PMax (8133504155) by USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory from Beltsville, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Melissodes communis, female, side 2012-07-09-19.36 by Sam Droege. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Melissodes communis: /mɛˈlɪsoʊˌdiːz kəˈmjuːnɪs/

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

Identification

Distinguished from other long-horned ( Melissodes) by specific morphological characters and geographic range; precise identification requires examination of male and other microscopic features. The extremely long male separate this genus from most other bee genera. Similar to Svastra , but Melissodes typically has longer antennae and different facial markings.

Images

Appearance

-sized with densely hairy body. Males possess conspicuously long that extend well beyond the , often longer than those of females. Body coloration typically involves black and pale banding on the , with pale on the . Females have (pollen- hairs) on the hind legs.

Habitat

Open including meadows, fields, and gardens where flowers are abundant. Nests in ground, typically in well-drained soils.

Distribution

North America and Central America. Documented from the United States through Mexico and into Central America.

Seasonality

Active primarily during summer months, with peak activity corresponding to bloom periods of plants. Males observed in sleeping on vegetation from late afternoon through early morning.

Diet

feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. provisioned with pollen and nectar in underground nests.

Life Cycle

Solitary ground-nesting . Females excavate individual burrows in soil, provisioning each with pollen and nectar before laying a single . develop underground, pupate, and emerge as the following season. Males emerge before females in typical protandrous pattern.

Behavior

Males form sleeping on vegetation, clustering on stems or flowers overnight while females remain in underground nests. Males exhibit territorial , defending flower and pursuing intruders including other . Both sexes are foragers.

Ecological Role

of and cultivated flowering plants. Contributes to pollen and nectar transfer among .

Human Relevance

of agricultural and garden . Subject of citizen science observation protocols for measuring pollinator attractiveness of cultivated flower varieties. Non-aggressive; males cannot and females rarely do unless handled.

Similar Taxa

Melissodes agilisSimilar male sleeping and territorial defense of flowers; distinguished by subtle morphological differences and geographic distribution
Melissodes bimaculatusAnother common long-horned with overlapping range; distinguished by specific markings and male
Svastra obliquaClosely related with similar appearance and male roosting ; distinguished by shorter and different facial pattern

More Details

Male Sleeping Aggregations

Males of this and related Melissodes form characteristic overnight clusters on stems or flowers, well-documented in the though specific observations for M. communis require confirmation

Subspecies

Two recognized: Melissodes communis communis Cresson, 1878 and Melissodes communis alopex Cockerell, 1928