Osmia calaminthae

Rightmyer, Ascher & Griswold, 2011

blue calamintha bee

Osmia calaminthae is a rare to a restricted area of Florida scrub . The was described in 2011 and is known from only eleven sites concentrated in the southern Lake Wales Ridge and Ocala National Forest. It exhibits striking blue coloration and shows extreme specialization, depending primarily on two mint- plants for pollen. The species is considered Critically Imperiled due to its extremely limited range, specific habitat requirements, and ongoing threats from development and exposure. It was rediscovered in March 2020 after concerns about its continued existence.

Osmia calaminthae visiting flowers of Calamintha ashei at Lake Placid, Highlands County, Florida by Tim Lethbridge. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.Osmia calaminthae, paratypes by Molly G. Rightmyer, Mark Deyrup, John S. Ascher, Terry Griswold. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.Osmia calaminthae and Osmia conjunctoides heads by Molly G. Rightmyer, Mark Deyrup, John S. Ascher, Terry Griswold. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Osmia calaminthae: /ˈɒz.mi.ə kəˈlæm.ɪn.θi/

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Images

Host Associations

  • Calamintha ashei - pollen Primary pollen source; blooms mid-March through mid-April; individual plants may live a decade or longer
  • Conradina brevifolia - pollen Secondary pollen source; blooms earlier than C. ashei; rarer than primary

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Sources and further reading