Desert-bee
Guides
Ancylandrena larreae
Creosote Bush Ancylandrena
Ancylandrena larreae, commonly known as the creosote bush ancylandrena, is a species of mining bee in the family Andrenidae. It was first described by Timberlake in 1951 as Megandrena larreae. The species is named for its association with creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), suggesting a specialized host relationship. It occurs in arid regions of North America and Central America.
Centris caesalpiniae
Caesalpinia Oil-Digger
Centris caesalpiniae is a species of oil-collecting bee in the family Apidae, first described by Cockerell in 1897. It belongs to the tribe Centridini, a group of bees specialized in collecting floral oils rather than nectar. The species is active in spring and has been documented visiting flowers of Krameria and Acacia in desert habitats. It occurs in the warm deserts of North America, including the Chihuahuan Desert, where it contributes to the region's exceptional bee biodiversity.
Centris pallida
Pallid Desert-Digger, digger bee, desert bee, pallid bee
Centris pallida is a solitary desert bee native to the Sonoran Desert region of North America. Males exhibit two distinct morphs associated with alternative reproductive tactics: large patrollers that use olfactory cues to locate buried virgin females near the ground, and small hoverers that use visual cues to find females above vegetation. The species has evolved remarkable thermal adaptations to survive extreme desert temperatures, including high thoracic conductance and dorsal solar reflectance in large-morph males. Long-term studies document a persistent decline in male body size since the 1970s, with potential consequences for the stability of alternative reproductive tactics.
Hesperapis larreae
Creosote Evening Bee
Hesperapis larreae is a solitary, ground-nesting bee in the family Melittidae, subfamily Dasypodainae. It is commonly known as the Creosote Evening Bee, suggesting a close association with creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). The species was described by Cockerell in 1907 and occurs in arid regions of North America and Middle America. As a member of the small bee family Melittidae, it represents one of the more basal lineages within the Apoidea.
Xeralictus timberlakei
Timberlake's Blazingstar-Shortface
Xeralictus timberlakei is a species of sweat bee in the family Halictidae, first described by Cockerell in 1927. It is one of at least two species in the genus Xeralictus, which are rare bees associated with floral mimicry systems in southwestern North America. The species is found in North America, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented compared to its congener X. bicuspidariae.