Hylaeus
Guides
Hylaeus episcopalis coquilletti
Hylaeus episcopalis coquilletti is a subspecies of yellow-faced bee in the family Colletidae. As with other members of the genus Hylaeus, this bee is nearly hairless and wasp-like in appearance, lacking the dense hair typical of most bees. Females have distinctive yellow or white markings on the inner margin of each eye, while males have the entire face colored yellow or white. These solitary bees nest in pre-existing cavities such as hollow stems or twigs, lining cells with a natural polymer secretion. The subspecies epithet "coquilletti" honors the entomologist James Charles Coquillett.
Hylaeus fedorica
Hylaeus fedorica is a species of masked bee (yellow-faced bee) in the family Colletidae. The species was described by Cockerell in 1909. Like other members of the genus Hylaeus, it is a solitary bee with distinctive facial markings. The genus is characterized by nearly hairless bodies that resemble wasps, and females that transport pollen and nectar internally rather than on body hairs.
Hylaeus leptocephalus
Slender-faced Masked Bee
Hylaeus leptocephalus is a small solitary bee in the family Colletidae, commonly known as the Slender-faced Masked Bee. Native to the Palearctic region, it has been established in North America since 1912. Like other masked bees, it is nearly hairless and transports pollen and nectar internally rather than on body hairs. The species nests in pre-existing cavities such as hollow stems and twigs.
Hylaeus modestus modestus
modest masked bee, yellow-faced bee
Hylaeus modestus modestus is a subspecies of the modest masked bee, a small, nearly hairless solitary bee in the family Colletidae. Like other Hylaeus species, it lacks scopal hairs for pollen transport and instead carries nectar and pollen internally in a crop, regurgitating food stores at the nest. The subspecies has been recorded in Canada and the United States, including a notable gynandromorph specimen from Ontario. It is one of approximately 50 Hylaeus species in North America and belongs to the subgenus Prosopis.
Hylaeus nelumbonis
Nelumbo Masked Bee
Hylaeus nelumbonis is a species of masked bee (family Colletidae) native to North America. Like other members of the genus Hylaeus, it is a solitary, nearly hairless bee that resembles small wasps in appearance. The species name "nelumbonis" suggests an association with Nelumbo (lotus), though specific ecological relationships remain poorly documented. As with most Hylaeus species, females transport nectar internally in a crop rather than externally on body hairs.
Hylaeus polifolii
Buckwheat Masked Bee
Hylaeus polifolii is a solitary bee species in the family Colletidae, commonly known as the buckwheat masked bee. It is native to North America and belongs to the genus Hylaeus, a group of nearly hairless bees often mistaken for wasps due to their slender appearance. The species has two recognized subspecies: H. p. catalinensis and H. p. polifolii. Like other masked bees, females transport pollen and nectar internally in a crop rather than on body hairs.