Melecta pacifica atlantica

Linsley, 1943

Melecta pacifica atlantica is a of cuckoo bee in the Apidae. Like other members of the Melecta, it is a that lays in the nests of bees. The has been documented in western North America. The subspecies was described by Linsley in 1943.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Melecta pacifica atlantica: /mɛˈlɛkta pæˈsɪfɪkə ətˈlæntɪkə/

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Distribution

North America; specifically western regions including Colorado

Diet

Cleptoparasitic; larvae consume pollen and nectar provisions stolen from nests

Behavior

Females enter burrows to lay ; larvae consume the host's pollen and nectar stores

Ecological Role

of ground-nesting bees; specifically known to parasitize Anthophora pacifica

Similar Taxa

  • Melecta pacifica fulvidaAnother of the same ; distinguished by coloration differences
  • Other Melecta speciesShare cleptoparasitic lifestyle and general ; require examination of specific color patterns and associations for differentiation
  • Anthophora pacifica ; females are similar in size and general appearance but differ in and nest association

Sources and further reading