Melittini

Genus Guides

Melitta(Blunt-horn Bees)

Melittini is a tribe of solitary bees within the Melittidae. Members of this tribe are ground-nesting bees that primarily occur in the Palearctic region. The tribe includes the Melitta, which contains that are oligolectic (specialized pollen collectors) on specific plants. Melittini represents one of the basal lineages within the family Melittidae, a family considered among the most ancient of bee families.

Melitta by (c) USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Panurginus atramontensis, f, right, Prince George's Co, MD 2019-03-21-18.41.34 ZS PMax UDR (48808828722) by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Melitta eickworti, m, face, Rockingham, VA 2019-10-21-17.52.54 ZS PMax UDR (49616218357) by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Melittini: /mɛˈlɪtɪnaɪ/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Distribution

Primarily Palearctic; occurs in Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The Melitta, the primary constituent of this tribe, has its center of diversity in the western Palearctic.

Similar Taxa

MacropidiniAlso a tribe within Melittidae; Macropidini contains the Macropis, which is distinguished by its specialization on oils from Lysimachia flowers, a trait not known in Melittini

More Details

Systematic significance

Melittidae, including the tribe Melittini, is considered one of the earliest-diverging of bees, making it important for understanding evolution and the transition from -like ancestors to bees.