Coneflower
Guides
Stelis rudbeckiarum
Coneflower Painted-Dark bee
Stelis rudbeckiarum is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae, described by Cockerell in 1904. As a member of the genus Stelis, it is an obligate cleptoparasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other bees. The species is distributed across North America and Central America. Its specific epithet 'rudbeckiarum' suggests an association with Rudbeckia (coneflowers), likely reflecting host or foraging relationships.