Epeolus scutellaris

Say, 1824

red-chested cuckoo nomad bee, Notch-backed Cellophane-cuckoo Bee

Epeolus scutellaris is a cleptoparasitic in the Apidae. As a cuckoo bee, it does not construct nests or collect pollen, instead laying in the nests of bees. The occurs in North America and Mexico. It is one of approximately 43 Epeolus species recognized in North America.

Epeolus scutellaris male by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Epeolus scutellaris female 1 by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Epeolus scutellaris female by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Epeolus scutellaris: /ɛˈpiːələs skuːtɛˈlɛrɪs/

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Images

Distribution

United States and Mexico.

Host Associations

Colletes - Epeolus are known to parasitize nests of polyester bees in the Colletes

Ecological Role

of other bees. The functions as a nest , with larvae consuming provisions and killing host offspring.

Similar Taxa

Epeolus attenboroughiAnother North American Epeolus with similar cleptoparasitic and color pattern of short black, white, red, and yellow hairs
NomadaAnother of cuckoo bees in Apidae with similar kleptoparasitic , though Nomada typically parasitize Andrena or Melitta nests rather than Colletes

More Details

Etymology

The name 'Epeolus' is probably a diminutive of Epeus/Epeius, the soldier in Greek mythology who devised the Trojan Horse, perhaps alluding to the deceptive, infiltrating nature of these cleptoparasitic bees.

Conservation status

No specific conservation assessment has been documented for this . Cuckoo bees are generally rarer than their species due to -prey dynamics.