Microbial-symbiosis
Guides
Anthophora
Common Digger Bees, Digger Bees
Anthophora is a large genus of solitary bees in the family Apidae, comprising over 450 species across 14 subgenera. These bees are most diverse in the Holarctic and African biogeographic regions. All species are solitary, though many nest in large aggregations. Nearly all species excavate nests in soil, either in banks or flat ground, with larvae developing in waterproof-lined cells without cocoons. Some species, notably Anthophora bomboides, are bumble bee mimics and construct distinctive turret-like nest entrances.
Anthophora bomboides
Bumble-bee-mimic anthophora, Bumblebee-like Digger Bee, Stanford bumble bee digger
Anthophora bomboides is a solitary ground-nesting bee native to North America. Females construct distinctive turreted nests in sandy substrates, particularly coastal sand cliffs. The species exhibits Batesian mimicry of bumblebees, specifically resembling Bombus vosnesenskii in coloration. Research has documented unique microbial symbioses, with bacteria and fungi proliferating during larval diapause and potentially enhancing overwintering survival.
Anthophorini
Digger Bees, Digger Bee, Burrowing Bees
Anthophorini is a large tribe of solitary bees in the family Apidae, commonly known as digger bees or burrowing bees. The tribe contains over 750 species worldwide, with the majority in the genera Amegilla and Anthophora. These bees are ground-nesting specialists, excavating burrows in soil, sand, or clay substrates, often constructing distinctive turrets at nest entrances. Many species exhibit bumble bee mimicry and have specialized associations with particular plant groups for pollen collection.
Dendroctonus valens
Red Turpentine Beetle
Dendroctonus valens is a bark beetle native to North and Central America, ranging from Canada to Honduras. In its native range, it primarily colonizes stumps of freshly cut trees and stressed or damaged conifers, causing minimal economic damage. Following its accidental introduction to China in the mid-1990s, likely via wood packaging material, it has become a highly destructive invasive pest. In China, it attacks healthy as well as stressed pine trees, particularly Pinus tabuliformis, and has killed over six million trees. The species exhibits complex mating behavior involving acoustic signals and chemical pheromones, and maintains symbiotic relationships with fungi and bacteria that assist in nutrition and detoxification of host plant defenses.
Eurymelinae
Eurymelinae is a subfamily of leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) with worldwide distribution. Members are phloem-feeding insects that maintain complex obligate symbioses with microorganisms including bacteria (Sulcia, Nasuia, Sodalis) and yeast-like fungi (Ophiocordycipitaceae) to synthesize essential amino acids. The subfamily exhibits notable ecological diversity, including ant-attended species that engage in trophobiosis.
Hylurgus
red-haired bark beetles
Hylurgus is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae. The genus includes economically significant forestry pests, most notably Hylurgus ligniperda (red-haired bark beetle), which is native to Eurasia and has established invasive populations on multiple continents. Species in this genus are associated with coniferous hosts, particularly Pinus species, and maintain complex symbiotic relationships with fungi and bacteria that facilitate host colonization and environmental adaptation.
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis
Northern Fungus-farming Ant
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis is a fungus-farming ant in the tribe Attini, notable as the northernmost attine species. It cultivates symbiotic fungal gardens in underground nests, primarily in sandy soils. The species exhibits sophisticated garden hygiene behaviors, detecting and removing pathogen-infected garden material using chemical cues. Population dynamics are strongly influenced by drought conditions, with colonies concentrating in mesic microhabitats during dry periods.
Trigonorhinus
fungus weevils
Trigonorhinus is a genus of fungus weevils in the beetle family Anthribidae, comprising approximately 15-16 described species. The genus includes wood-boring species that develop in plant tissues, with at least one species documented as a pest of Caragana liouana in arid regions of China. A notable species, Trigonorhinus sp., has been demonstrated to rely on gut bacterial symbionts for production of male aggregation pheromones essential for mate attraction.