Melissodes stearnsi

Cockerell, 1905

long-horned bee

Melissodes stearnsi is a of long-horned in the , described by Cockerell in 1905. Like other members of the Melissodes, it belongs to the tribe Eucerini, a group of solitary, ground-nesting bees. The species is found in North America. Available information about this species specifically is limited, with most detailed behavioral and ecological knowledge coming from better-studied such as Melissodes agilis.

Melissodes stearnsi honeybee by Cindycroissant. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Melissodes stearnsi: //mɛˈlɪsəˌdiːz ˈstɜrnzi//

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Images

Distribution

North America

Similar Taxa

Melissodes agilisA well-documented with similar male sleeping on flowers and territorial ; males of both cannot . M. stearnsi may share these traits but this has not been specifically documented.
Melissodes robustiorAnother frequently mentioned in garden observations; males also sleep on flowers. Distinguishing M. stearnsi from these similar requires expert examination of morphological characters.
Svastra obliquaClosely related in the same tribe Eucerini with similar ; males also exhibit sleeping on flowers and may be confused with Melissodes species in field observations.

More Details

Data limitations

Most detailed behavioral descriptions for Melissodes in available sources refer to M. agilis, M. robustior, or observed in California gardens. Specific documentation of M. stearnsi biology is sparse, with only 3 iNaturalist observations and minimal published . Caution is warranted in assuming congener traits apply to this species.