Thistle-pollinator

Guides

• Melissodes rivalis

  rival long-horned bee, Western Thistle Longhorn Bee

  Melissodes rivalis is a solitary long-horned bee in the family Apidae, native to northern North America. Males are distinguished by antennae that may exceed their body length. Females construct individual underground nests and provision them with pollen, while males form sleeping aggregations on flower heads. The species has been documented pollinating thistles (Cirsium sp.).

  solitary-beelong-horned-beeground-nestingpollinatorEucerininative-beemale-sleeping-aggregationsthistle-pollinatornorthern-North-AmericaMontana-endemic-region