Ceratina acantha

Provancher, 1895

small carpenter bee

Ceratina acantha is a of small in the , to Central and North America. It is one of numerous Ceratina species that contribute to wild services, though like most small carpenter bees, it is not among the -pollinating species. These bees are solitary or weakly social and nest in pre-existing cavities in dead material. The species has been documented in studies examining responses to flower , showing flexible foraging patterns compared to larger social bees.

Ceratina acantha by (c) Jeff Bartlett, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jeff Bartlett. Used under a CC-BY license.

Ceratina acantha m by Susan E. Nyoka. Used under a Public domain license.

Ceratina acantha f by Susan E. Nyoka. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ceratina acantha: //ˌsɛr.əˈtaɪ.nə əˈkæn.θə//

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Images

Habitat

Nests in dead twigs and stems. Associated with prairie and open where suitable nesting substrates and floral resources are available.

Distribution

Found in Central America and North America. Distribution records indicate presence in Middle America and North America.

Diet

Feeds on nectar and pollen from flowers. Observed visiting Penstemon digitalis, Monarda fistulosa, and Eryngium yuccifolium in a restored Ohio prairie study.

Life Cycle

Nests in dead twigs. As with other Ceratina , females construct linear nests in pithy stems, provisioning with pollen and nectar for larval development.

Behavior

Exhibits flexible foraging with respect to flower . Unlike , does not consistently prefer dense flower patches; visitation patterns vary by flower , with some observations showing preference for isolated flowers or no density preference.

Ecological Role

Contributes to of wild and plants. Part of the diverse wild that provides pollination services; however, like most Ceratina , is not among the small subset of crop that provide the majority of economic pollination value.

Human Relevance

Contributes to wild services, though not a primary target for managed pollination. Research on this and related Ceratina species informs understanding of how diverse bee coexist and partition floral resources.

Similar Taxa

Ceratina spp. (other small carpenter bees)Shared characteristics including small size, metallic coloration, and nesting in dead stems; specific identification requires examination of morphological details not provided in available sources.
Bombus spp. (bumble bees)Co-occurring that differ in being larger, social, and showing consistent preference for dense flower ; C. acantha is smaller, solitary or weakly social, and shows more flexible foraging patterns.

More Details

Flower density research

A study in Environmental found that Ceratina was the only group significantly visiting all three focal flower (Penstemon digitalis, Monarda fistulosa, Eryngium yuccifolium), yet showed different responses to for each. This suggests that flower identity and potentially competing pollinators influence patch-size preference in this .