Monolectic
Guides
Anthemurgus passiflorae
passion flower bee
A small solitary bee in the family Andrenidae, Anthemurgus passiflorae is a monolectic specialist that forages exclusively on yellow passionflower (Passiflora lutea). It is one of the few andrenid bees with a published chromosome-level genome assembly, making it valuable for studying the genomic basis of host-plant specialization and pollinator conservation.
Hesperapis oraria
Gulf Coast solitary bee, Gulf Coast evening bee
Hesperapis oraria is a rare, solitary bee endemic to the northern Gulf Coast of the United States. Described in 1997, it is the only known member of the subfamily Dasypodainae in eastern North America. The species is monolectic, relying exclusively on the coastal plain honeycomb head (Balduina angustifolia) for pollen and nectar. It is critically imperiled due to its restricted range and habitat specificity.
Protandrena
mining bees
Protandrena is a genus of solitary mining bees in the family Andrenidae, containing 50–180 described species depending on taxonomic circumscription. Most species nest underground in sunny areas with sparse vegetation, constructing cells lined with a protective chemical 'wallpaper' that inhibits fungal and bacterial growth. The genus exhibits diverse social structures, with most species solitary but some forming nest aggregations and at least one species (P. evansi) exhibiting communal nesting. Activity is primarily from May to October in temperate regions, with some southern populations active earlier.