Native-bee
Guides
Sphecodes solonis
sweat bee
Sphecodes solonis is a species of sweat bee in the family Halictidae. It is a cleptoparasitic or 'cuckoo' bee, meaning females lay their eggs in the nests of other solitary bees. The species was described by Graenicher in 1911. Like other members of the genus Sphecodes, it exhibits a wasp-like appearance with a slender waist and typically reddish or dark coloration.
Svastra atripes atripes
Svastra atripes atripes is a subspecies of long-horned bee in the family Apidae. Like other members of the genus Svastra, it belongs to the tribe Eucerini, a group of solitary bees commonly associated with sunflower and composite flowers. The species is native to North America. Long-horned bees in this genus are important native pollinators, with females nesting in the ground and males often forming overnight sleeping aggregations on vegetation.
Svastra compta
long-horned bee
Svastra compta is a North American long-horned bee in the tribe Eucerini. Like other Svastra species, it is a solitary ground-nesting bee that forages on composite flowers, particularly members of the Asteraceae family. Males exhibit the characteristic long antennae that give the group its common name and are known to form sleeping aggregations on vegetation at night. The species contributes to native bee diversity in its range.
Svastra duplocincta
long-horned bee
Svastra duplocincta is a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. As a member of the tribe Eucerini, it belongs to a group of solitary bees characterized by elongated antennae, particularly in males. The species was originally described as Melissodes duplocincta by Cockerell in 1905.
Svastra machaerantherae
Svastra machaerantherae is a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae. It is native to Central and North America. The species belongs to the tribe Eucerini, a group of solitary bees commonly known as long-horned bees due to the elongated antennae of males.
Svastra obliqua caliginosa
long-horned bee
Svastra obliqua caliginosa is a subspecies of long-horned bee in the family Apidae. It is native to North and Middle America. As a member of the Eucerini tribe, it exhibits traits typical of long-horned bees including elongated antennae in males and ground-nesting behavior. The species Svastra obliqua is known to be associated with sunflowers and members of the Asteraceae family.
Svastra obliqua expurgata
sunflower bee, long-horned digger bee, female long-horned bee
Svastra obliqua expurgata is a subspecies of long-horned bee in the family Apidae, native to western North America. It is commonly known as the 'sunflower bee' due to its strong preference for foraging on sunflowers and other members of the Asteraceae family. The species has been reclassified taxonomically, with some authorities placing North American species formerly in genus Svastra into the genus Epimelissodes. It is a solitary, ground-nesting bee that plays an important role in pollinating native and agricultural plants in its range.
Svastra petulca
long-horned bee
Svastra petulca is a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae. The species occurs in Central America and North America. It was originally described as Melissodes petulca by Cresson in 1878, with the basionym later transferred to the genus Svastra. Two subspecies are recognized: S. p. petulca and S. p. suffusa.
Svastra petulca petulca
Svastra petulca petulca is a subspecies of long-horned bee in the family Apidae, tribe Eucerini. It belongs to a genus of solitary, ground-nesting bees native to North and Central America. Like other Svastra species, it is a specialist pollinator associated with composite flowers, particularly in the Asteraceae family. The subspecies was described by Cresson in 1879.
Svastra texana
Texas long-horned bee
Svastra texana is a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae. It is native to Central America and North America. The species was first described by Ezra Townsend Cresson in 1872 under the name Melissodes texana. Two subspecies are recognized: Svastra texana texana and Svastra texana eluta.
Tanaops basalis
Tanaops basalis is a species of mining bee in the family Andrenidae. The species is native to North America, with records from the western United States. Like other members of Andrenidae, females are solitary ground-nesters that provision brood cells with pollen and nectar. Males are often observed patrolling areas near female nesting sites.
Trachusa dorsalis
Stripe-backed Resin-Leafcutter
Trachusa dorsalis is a species of resin-leafcutter bee in the family Megachilidae. It is native to North America. Members of the genus Trachusa are known for using plant resins in nest construction, a trait that distinguishes them from many other megachilid bees that rely primarily on leaf pieces.
Triepeolus brittaini
Brittain's Cuckoo Nomad Bee
Triepeolus brittaini is a species of cleptoparasitic bee in the family Apidae, first described by Cockerell in 1931. As a member of the cuckoo bee genus Triepeolus, it is known to lay its eggs in the nests of other bee species rather than constructing its own nests or provisioning brood cells. The species is found in North America and is commonly known as Brittain's Cuckoo Nomad Bee.
Triepeolus concavus
Concave Longhorn-Cuckoo
Triepeolus concavus is a cleptoparasitic bee in the family Apidae. Females lay eggs in the ground nests of host bees, particularly sunflower bees (Svastra obliqua expurgata). The species lacks pollen-collecting structures (scopa) and relies on stealing food stores provisioned by host bees. It is found in the United States and Mexico.
Triepeolus donatus
Thistle Longhorn-Cuckoo
Triepeolus donatus is a species of cleptoparasitic cuckoo bee in the family Apidae. It is found in North America, particularly in the eastern United States and Canada. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in wing coloration and antennae length.
Triepeolus grindeliae
cuckoo bee
Triepeolus grindeliae is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, described by Cockerell in 1907. As a member of the cleptoparasitic genus Triepeolus, it does not construct its own nests but instead lays eggs in the nests of host bees, typically in the family Apidae. The species is found in North America. The specific epithet "grindeliae" suggests a possible association with plants in the genus Grindelia (gumweeds), which may serve as a nectar source or indicate host bee habitat.
Triepeolus matildae
Matilda's Longhorn-Cuckoo
Triepeolus matildae is a cleptoparasitic bee species described by Rightmyer in 2014. As a member of the genus Triepeolus, it is commonly known as Matilda's Longhorn-Cuckoo. The species is documented from California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico. It has been recorded visiting flowers of several plant families including Asteraceae and Polygonaceae. Activity records span from mid-May through late September.
Triepeolus rufithorax
Florida Longhorn-Cuckoo
Triepeolus rufithorax is a cleptoparasitic cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, subfamily Nomadinae. As a member of the genus Triepeolus, it parasitizes nests of long-horned bees (Melissodes and related genera). The species is known from North America, with records particularly from Florida and surrounding regions. Like other Triepeolus species, females enter host nests to lay eggs in brood cells provisioned by the host female.
Xenoglossa
Squash Bees and Allies, Squash Bees
Xenoglossa is a genus of large bees in the family Apidae, commonly known as squash bees. Species in this genus are oligolectic pollen specialists, with most species foraging exclusively on Cucurbita crops (Cucurbitaceae). Some species, such as X. (Cemolobus) ipomoeae, specialize on Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) instead. These solitary, ground-nesting bees are native to North America and are important agricultural pollinators. Adults are active for a brief period in summer, coinciding with host plant bloom.
Xenoglossa angustior
Red-tailed Squash Bee
Xenoglossa angustior, the Red-tailed Squash Bee, is a specialist pollinator of cucurbits (Cucurbitaceae) in the tribe Eucerini. It is native to North and Middle America and shares the common name "squash bee" with the related genus Peponapis. Both genera are oligoleges that pollinate exclusively squash, pumpkins, gourds, cucumbers, and zucchini.
Xenoglossa kansensis
Kansas squash bee
Xenoglossa kansensis, commonly known as the Kansas squash bee, is a solitary long-horned bee in the family Apidae. It belongs to a genus of specialist pollinators that are oligoleges on cucurbits (the squash family, Cucurbitaceae). The species is native to North America and is one of two related genera (Xenoglossa and Peponapis) commonly referred to as squash bees. Like other squash bees, it is an early-morning pollinator of cucurbit crops.
Xenoglossa strenua
Nimble Squash Bee
Xenoglossa strenua is a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae, native to North and Central America. It is an oligolectic pollinator specialized on the cucurbit family (Cucurbitaceae), including pumpkins, squash, gourds, cucumbers, and zucchini. The species is active early in the morning, visiting flowers as soon as they open, before most other bee species begin foraging.
Xylocopa californica californica
Northern California Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa californica californica is a subspecies of carpenter bee native to western North America. It is one of three recognized carpenter bee species in California and is distinguished by its bluish metallic body reflections. The subspecies is found in mountain foothill regions of northern and southern California. Like other carpenter bees, it nests by tunneling into wood and serves as an important pollinator in native plant communities.
Xylocopa californica diamesa
Southern California Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa californica diamesa is a subspecies of the California carpenter bee (Xylocopa californica), a large solitary bee in the family Apidae. It occurs in southern California and parts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Like other carpenter bees, it nests by excavating tunnels in wood, including dead tree limbs and occasionally wooden structures. Females are capable of stinging but are generally non-aggressive; males lack stingers entirely. The species is an important pollinator in native plant communities and contributes to the pollination of some agricultural crops.
Xylocopa virginica
Eastern Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa virginica, the Eastern Carpenter Bee, is a large, facultatively social carpenter bee native to eastern North America. It is distinguished by sexual dimorphism: males have a prominent white facial patch while females have entirely black faces. The species nests by excavating tunnels in wood, creating brood galleries that are later reused by other solitary Hymenoptera. Unlike truly eusocial bees, X. virginica forms linear dominance hierarchies where one female monopolizes reproduction and foraging while subordinates queue for replacement opportunities. Climate, particularly the length of the active season, limits its northern range extent.