Melitta eickworti

Snelling & Stage, 1995

Deerberry Blunt-Horn, deerberry melitta

Melitta eickworti is a of melittid in the , commonly known as the Deerberry Blunt-Horn or deerberry melitta. It was described by Snelling & Stage in 1995. The species is found in North America and belongs to a specialized group of bees that are oligolectic, meaning they collect pollen from a narrow range of plants. Based on its placement in the Melitta, it is likely associated with specific floral resources, though detailed ecological studies remain limited.

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.

Panurginus atramontensis, m, face, Prince George's Co, MD 2019-03-21-18.39.05 ZS PMax UDR (48808674601) by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Melitta eickworti: /mɛˈlɪtə aɪkˈwɔːrtaɪ/

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Images

Distribution

North America. The has been recorded with present status in North America according to distribution records, though specific range details within this region are not well documented.

Host Associations

Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) - probable pollen sourceThe 'Deerberry Blunt-Horn' suggests an association with deerberry, a North Vaccinium . Melitta are typically oligolectic on specific plants.

More Details

Taxonomic note

Melitta eickworti was described by Snelling & Stage in 1995. The Melitta contains approximately 40 worldwide, with most occurring in the Palearctic region; M. eickworti represents one of the North representatives of this primarily Old World genus.

Conservation status

The has been observed 30 times according to iNaturalist records, suggesting it is not commonly encountered, though this may reflect limited survey effort rather than rarity. No formal assessment appears to have been conducted.