Solitary-bee
Guides
Sphecodes dichrous
Blood Bee
Sphecodes dichrous is a species of cleptoparasitic bee in the family Halictidae, commonly known as a blood bee. Like other members of the genus Sphecodes, females lay their eggs in the nests of other solitary bees, primarily sweat bees (Halictus and Lasioglossum species). The larvae consume the host's pollen provisions and parasitize the host larvae. The species has been recorded in North America, including Vermont.
Sphecodes heraclei
Cyclops Blood Bee
Sphecodes heraclei is a species of cleptoparasitic sweat bee in the family Halictidae, commonly known as the Cyclops Blood Bee. Like other members of the genus Sphecodes, females lay their eggs in the nests of other solitary bees, particularly sweat bees in the subfamily Halictinae. The larvae consume the host's food stores and parasitize the host larvae. The species is native to North America and Central America, with records from both regions.
Sphecodes heraclei ignitus
Fiery Cyclops Blood Bee
Sphecodes heraclei ignitus is a subspecies of blood bee within the family Halictidae. Like other members of the genus Sphecodes, this bee is a cleptoparasite (cuckoo bee) that exploits the nests of other solitary bees. The subspecific epithet 'ignitus' (meaning 'fiery') and its common name suggest distinctive coloration. The species was described by Cockerell in 1922. As a Sphecodes, it exhibits the characteristic parasitic lifestyle of the genus, targeting sweat bees and other ground-nesting halictids.
Stelis diversicolor
All-black Dark Bee
Stelis diversicolor is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae, first described by Crawford in 1916. It is found in Central America and North America. Like other members of the genus Stelis, this species is a cleptoparasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other bees. The species is known from 18 iNaturalist observations and is recognized by the common name 'All-black Dark Bee'.
Stelis louisae
Louisiana Painted-Dark bee
Stelis louisae is a cuckoo bee (kleptoparasite) in the family Megachilidae, described by T.D.A. Cockerell in 1911. It occurs in the eastern United States and Ontario, Canada, with activity recorded from March through September. The species has been observed visiting Helianthus (sunflower) flowers. As a member of the genus Stelis, it likely parasitizes nests of other bees, though specific host records for this species are not documented in the provided sources.
Svastra
long-horned bees
Svastra is a genus of long-horned bees in the family Apidae, tribe Eucerini. These solitary, ground-nesting bees are native to North America and are important pollinators of sunflowers and other members of the Asteraceae family. The genus has undergone taxonomic revision, with North American species formerly placed in Svastra now moved to Epimelissodes. Females construct nests in hard-packed soil with cells arranged in spiral patterns, while males are known to form nighttime sleeping aggregations on vegetation.
Svastra atripes
long-horned bee
Svastra atripes is a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae, native to North America. The species was originally described as Melissodes atripes by Cresson in 1872. It includes three recognized subspecies: S. a. atrimitra, S. a. atripes, and S. a. georgica. As a member of the tribe Eucerini, it belongs to a group of solitary, ground-nesting bees characterized by elongated antennae in males.
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 minima
Svastra minima is a small species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae, tribe Eucerini. The species was described by LaBerge in 1956 and is known from Middle America. Like other members of the genus Svastra, it is a solitary, ground-nesting bee. Specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in published literature.
Svastra obliqua
sunflower bee
Svastra obliqua is a long-horned bee in the family Apidae, commonly known as the sunflower bee. It is native to Central America and North America, with three recognized subspecies. The species shows strong floral fidelity to sunflowers (Helianthus) and other members of the Asteraceae family, though it will collect pollen from various aster family plants. Males exhibit distinctive sleeping behavior, clustering on flowers or stems at night while females nest in underground burrows.
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 obliqua obliqua
Svastra obliqua obliqua is a subspecies of long-horned bee in the family Apidae. It belongs to a group of solitary, ground-nesting bees native to North America. The species is closely related to other Svastra taxa and shares behavioral traits with the broader long-horned bee group, including male sleeping aggregations on vegetation.
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 sabinensis
Svastra sabinensis is a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae, first described by Cockerell in 1924. It belongs to the tribe Eucerini, a group of solitary bees characterized by elongated antennae in males. The species is distributed across Central America and North America. Three subspecies are recognized: S. s. sabinensis, S. s. laterufa, and S. s. nubila. As with other members of the genus Svastra, it is likely associated with pollen collection from Asteraceae flowers, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited.
Svastra sabinensis sabinensis
A subspecies of long-horned bee in the tribe Eucerini. Females are solitary ground-nesters that construct individual burrows. Males have been observed forming sleeping aggregations on vegetation at night. The subspecies occurs in parts of Middle and North America.
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.
Syntrichalonia exquisita
Exquisite Longhorn, Exquisite Long-horned Bee
Syntrichalonia exquisita is a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae, commonly known as the exquisite long-horned bee. It belongs to the tribe Eucerini, a group characterized by elongated antennae, particularly in males. The species occurs across Central and North America. Like other eucerine bees, it is likely solitary and ground-nesting, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
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.
Trachusa manni
Trachusa manni is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, described by Crawford in 1918. It is a member of the tribe Anthidiini, commonly known as resin bees or wool carder bees. The species is found in North America. Like other members of its genus, it is a solitary bee that constructs nests using plant resins and other materials.
Trachusa perdita
California leafcutting bee, California Resin-Leafcutter
Trachusa perdita is a solitary leafcutting bee native to California, belonging to the family Megachilidae. Females construct underground nests in hillsides, lining brood cells with leaves collected from Buckthorn shrubs. The species is notable for its distinctive nesting behavior and specific host-plant relationship for nest construction materials.
Tricrania stansburyi
Stansbury's Blister Beetle
Tricrania stansburyi is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae. It is a cleptoparasite of solitary bees, specifically known to parasitize the mason bee Osmia lignaria propinqua. The species exhibits hypermetamorphosis, with triungulin larvae attaching to host bees to gain entry to nest cells. It is found in North America and is one of at least two species in the genus Tricrania.
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.
Xenoglossodes pomonae
Xenoglossodes pomonae is a junior synonym of Tetraloniella pomonae (Cockerell, 1915), a species of long-horned bee in the family Apidae. The genus Xenoglossodes was established as a replacement name but has been synonymized under Tetraloniella. As a member of the tribe Eucerini, this species belongs to a group of solitary bees commonly known as long-horned bees due to the elongated antennae of males. The specific epithet "pomonae" suggests an association with apple (Malus pumila), though the precise host plant relationships require confirmation.
Xylocopa
Large Carpenter Bees, Carpenter Bees
Xylocopa is a large genus of bees comprising approximately 500 species in 31 subgenera, commonly known as carpenter bees for their distinctive nesting behavior in wood and bamboo. The genus exhibits remarkable diversity in size, coloration, and social organization, ranging from solitary to incipiently social species. Recent research has revealed that Xylocopa species harbor gut microbiomes remarkably similar to those of eusocial bees like honey bees and bumble bees, challenging assumptions that advanced sociality is required for such microbial communities. Carpenter bees are important pollinators of wild plants and crops, with some species demonstrating greater pollination efficiency than honey bees for certain large-flowered crops such as passion fruit.
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 micans
Southern Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa micans, the southern carpenter bee, is a large solitary bee in the subgenus Schonnherria. It excavates nests in dead wood but, unlike the sympatric X. virginica, has not been documented nesting in structural timbers. The species exhibits a unique polymorphic mating strategy, shifting from resource defense polygyny in early spring to lek polygyny in mid-summer. It is an important generalist pollinator capable of buzz pollination.
Xylocopa micheneri
Michener's Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa micheneri is a carpenter bee species in the family Apidae, described by Hurd in 1978. The species is distributed across Central America and North America. Two subspecies are recognized: X. m. micheneri and X. m. decipiens. As a member of the genus Xylocopa, it shares the characteristic wood-nesting behavior of carpenter bees, though specific biological details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Xylocopa tabaniformis
horsefly-like carpenter bee, mountain carpenter bee, foothill carpenter bee
Xylocopa tabaniformis, commonly known as the horsefly-like carpenter bee or mountain carpenter bee, is a medium-sized carpenter bee native to the Americas. The species ranges from 12–18 mm in length and exhibits strong sexual dimorphism: females are entirely black with light smoky-colored wings, while males display yellow hair on the thorax and yellow markings on the lower face. This bee is one of three carpenter bee species found in California and is the smallest of the trio. Research has revealed that despite being solitary, X. tabaniformis hosts a gut microbiome remarkably similar to social bees like honey bees and bumble bees, challenging assumptions about the drivers of microbiome structure in bees.
Xylocopa tabaniformis androleuca
Pale-male Horse-fly Carpenter
Xylocopa tabaniformis androleuca is a subspecies of the mountain carpenter bee, distinguished by its pale male coloration. As part of the Xylocopa tabaniformis species complex, it shares the incipiently social behavior and distinctive gut microbiome characteristic of this group. Research has shown that carpenter bees in this complex harbor bacterial communities more similar to eusocial bees like honey bees and bumble bees than to solitary bees, challenging assumptions about sociality as the main driver of microbiome structure. The subspecies occurs in western North America, where females nest in wood and males exhibit the pale facial markings that give this taxon its common name.
Xylocopa virginica krombeini
South Florida Eastern Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa virginica krombeini is a subspecies of the eastern carpenter bee restricted to southern Florida. As part of the Xylocopini tribe, it shares the robust body form and wood-nesting behavior characteristic of large carpenter bees. The subspecies designation reflects geographic isolation and potential morphological differentiation from nominate X. virginica populations in the eastern United States. Like other Xylocopa, it is a solitary bee with incipient social traits, including prolonged maternal care and cohabitation of daughters with mothers.
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.
Zikanapis elegans
Zikanapis elegans is a species of plasterer bee in the family Colletidae, originally described as Caupolicana elegans by Timberlake in 1965. It belongs to a genus of solitary bees found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other colletid bees, it likely nests in the ground and lines its brood cells with a cellophane-like secretion. The species is poorly known, with limited observational records.
Zodioninae
Zodioninae is a subfamily of thick-headed flies (Conopidae) within the order Diptera. These flies are parasitoids, with females known to attack solitary bees and wasps by forcibly depositing eggs into the host's abdomen during flight. The subfamily contains approximately 20 described species, most assigned to the genus Zodion. They are distinguished from other conopids by reduced wing venation and characteristic abdominal morphology.