Melittidae
Guides
Hesperapini
Hesperapini is a small tribe of bees within the family Melittidae, subfamily Dasypodainae. The tribe contains a limited number of genera and species, primarily distributed in arid regions. These bees are ground-nesting and exhibit specialized pollen-collecting structures. They represent an early-diverging lineage among bees, contributing to understanding of bee evolution.
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.
Hesperapis rufipes
Woollystar Evening Bee, Hugelia Evening Bee
Hesperapis rufipes is a species of hairy-footed bee in the family Melittidae, one of the most primitive families of bees. The species is found in North America and is known by the common names Woollystar Evening Bee and Hugelia Evening Bee. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits morphological adaptations associated with its common name, including dense hair on the legs. The species is part of a small genus of specialist bees with restricted distributions and specific host-plant associations.
Macropidini
Macropidini is a tribe of bees within the family Melittidae, subfamily Melittinae. These bees are solitary and ground-nesting, with most species belonging to the genus Macropis. They are notable for their specialized oil-collecting behavior, gathering floral oils from Lysimachia (Primulaceae) flowers to provision their nests. This oil-collecting adaptation is rare among bees and represents a distinctive ecological specialization.
Macropis nuda
Dark-footed Yellow Loosestrife Bee
Macropis nuda is a small, ground-nesting solitary bee in the family Melittidae, native to northern North America. It is a highly specialized oligolectic species that forages exclusively for floral oils and pollen from Lysimachia ciliata (Primulaceae). The bee exhibits unique adaptations for oil collection, including dense white scopae on the posterior tibiae that use capillary action to hold oils. It is univoltine, with offspring hibernating as pupae in cocoons until the following spring.
Melitta
Blunt-horn Bees
Melitta is a genus of solitary bees in the family Melittidae, comprising approximately 40 species distributed across Africa and the northern temperate zone. Most species are Palaearctic in distribution, with three rare species occurring in North America. These bees are commonly known as Blunt-horn Bees and are characterized by their specialized ecological associations with particular host plants.