Hesperapini

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Hesperapini: /hɛsˌpɛrəˈpiːni/

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Summary

Hesperapis oraria, or the Gulf Coast solitary bee, is a rare, monolege bee species found on the Gulf Coast that specializes in pollinating the coastal plain honeycomb head. It has experienced significant habitat loss and is recognized as critically imperiled.

Physical Characteristics

Females of the Gulf Coast solitary bee are 11-13mm in length, while males are 8.5-11mm long; both sexes have shiny black heads with many hairs, hairy yellowish mesosomas, clear to brownish wings, and hairy dark brown to reddish legs. Females have modified hind basitarsi setae for nest construction.

Identification Tips

Males can be identified by their distinctive subtriangular pygidial plate that ends in a point, while females have broad pygidial plates with points greater than 45°. Both sexes have dense hairs and alternating dark and light colored bands on their metasomas.

Habitat

Typically found in soft sandy soils on secondary dunes behind fore dunes along the Gulf Coast, with nesting resources key for their survival.

Distribution

Range extends along the northern shore of the Gulf of Mexico from Horn Island in eastern Mississippi to St. Andrew's Bay in northwestern Florida, with restricted findings only within 500m from the shoreline.

Diet

Monolectic, gathering pollen and nectar exclusively from the coastal plain honeycomb head (Balduina angustifolia).

Life Cycle

Adult Gulf Coast solitary bees produce one generation per year, emerging in September and October corresponding to the bloom of their host plant.

Reproduction

Females build underground nests and provision them with a ball of pollen upon which an egg is laid. Larvae undergo five instars before pupating.

Conservation Status

Recognized as G1 (critically imperiled) and S1/S2 (critically imperiled/imperiled) in Florida. Potentially extirpated from some areas due to habitat loss.

Ecosystem Role

Important pollinator for the coastal plain honeycomb head.

Evolution

Believed to be part of the basal group of all bees, with Melittidae being the oldest lineage.

Tags

• bee
• Hesperapini
• pollinator
• conservation
• Gulf Coast