Melectini
Guides
Brachymelecta
Brachymelecta is a genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae, established by Linsley in 1939. The genus was formerly known as Xeromelecta until 2021. These bees are cleptoparasites, meaning they lay eggs in the nests of other bees and rely on host provisions to rear their young. The genus includes six recognized species distributed primarily in North America and the Caribbean.
Brachymelecta interrupta
Interrupted Digger-cuckoo Bee
Brachymelecta interrupta is a species of digger-cuckoo bee in the family Apidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. As a cuckoo bee, it is presumed to be a nest parasite of other bees, though specific host relationships are not well documented. The species was originally described as Melecta interrupta by Cresson in 1872.
Melecta
Mourning Bees, Cuckoo Bees
Melecta is a genus of kleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bees in the family Apidae, commonly known as mourning bees. The genus contains at least 50 described species. Females are cleptoparasites that enter host bee nests to lay eggs, with their larvae consuming the pollen and nectar provisions intended for the host's offspring.
Melecta edwardsii
Edward's melectum
Melecta edwardsii is a species of digger-cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, first described by Cresson in 1879. As a cleptoparasite, females enter the nests of host digger bees to lay eggs, with their larvae consuming the pollen and nectar provisions intended for the host's offspring. The species occurs in Central America and North America, though specific details about its biology and host associations remain limited in the available literature.
Melecta separata
Melecta separata is a cleptoparasitic bee (cuckoo bee) in the family Apidae, native to North America. The species contains six recognized subspecies distributed across western and southwestern regions of the continent. Like other members of the genus Melecta, it is a nest parasite of solitary bees, particularly species in the genus Anthophora. The subspecies M. separata callura has been specifically documented as a cleptoparasite of Anthophora pacifica.
Zacosmia
Zacosmia is a genus of bees in the family Apidae, tribe Melectini, established by Ashmead in 1899. The genus contains one described species, Zacosmia maculata. Members are classified as cuckoo bees (kleptoparasites), meaning they lay eggs in the nests of other bee species rather than provisioning their own. The genus is placed within the subfamily Apinae, a diverse group that includes honey bees, bumble bees, and numerous solitary bee lineages.
Zacosmia maculata
Spotted Mini-digger-Cuckoo
Zacosmia maculata is a species of kleptoparasitic bee in the family Apidae, tribe Melectini. As a cuckoo bee, females do not construct nests or collect pollen; instead, they lay eggs in the nests of host bees, primarily species of Hesperapis. The species occurs in western North America and parts of Middle America.