Stelis
Guides
Anthidiini
Anthidiini is a tribe of bees in the family Megachilidae comprising at least 40 genera and approximately 840 described species. The tribe is strongly supported as monophyletic based on molecular and morphological evidence. Members exhibit diverse nesting strategies, with many species constructing nests from plant resins, plant fibers, or other collected materials. The tribe includes economically important pollinators as well as cleptoparasitic species in the genus Stelis.
Stelis rudbeckiarum
Coneflower Painted-Dark bee
Stelis rudbeckiarum is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Megachilidae, described by Cockerell in 1904. As a member of the genus Stelis, it is an obligate cleptoparasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other bees. The species is distributed across North America and Central America. Its specific epithet 'rudbeckiarum' suggests an association with Rudbeckia (coneflowers), likely reflecting host or foraging relationships.