| Biastes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Biastes brevicornis (male) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Tribe: | Neolarrini |
| Genus: | Biastes Panzer, 1806 |
Biastes is a genus of cuckoo bees belonging to the family Apidae. [1] Its constituency has been expanded to include species formerly treated in the genus Neopasites, now a subgenus within Biastes. [2]
The term cuckoo bee is used for a variety of different bee lineages which have evolved the kleptoparasitic behaviour of laying their eggs in the nests of other bees, reminiscent of the behavior of cuckoo birds. The name is perhaps best applied to the apid subfamily Nomadinae, but is commonly used in Europe to mean bumblebees Bombus subgenus Psithyrus. Females of cuckoo bees are easy to recognize in almost all cases, as they lack pollen-collecting structures and do not construct their own nests. They often have reduced body hair, abnormally thick and/or heavily sculptured exoskeleton, and saber-like mandibles, although this is not universally true; other less visible changes are also common.
Schwarziana is a relatively small genus of South American stingless bees. Like other stingless bees, Schwarziana are eusocial, with large colonies primarily composed of workers and one queen. Unusually for stingless bees, colonies are formed in underground chambers rather than in tree cavities. Workers are approximately 6.5mm long
The Melectini are a tribe of medium- to large-sized cuckoo bees in the family Apidae, found essentially worldwide. They are brood parasites of the related typical digger bees (Anthophorini) and occasionally visit flowers.
Pyrobombus is a subgenus of bumblebees, with its centres of diversity in Central Asia and north-western North America. Nearly a fifth of all Bombus species fall within Pyrobombus and its member species vary considerably in size, appearance and behaviour. it covers 43 species of bees and is the largest subgenus of bumblebees, covering almost 50% of the North American fauna. They are seen to be declined by 6%, which may be an undervalued statistic, although not as high as other groups of bees. Pyrobombus bees also face issues such as climate change, loss of habitat, urbanization, and industrial agriculture. This subgenus of bees can pollinate which helps plants fertilise and grow fruit that is essential to the biodiversity and life of the environment. Commonly, Pyrobombus bees are used for beekeeping as they are pollinators. They can be for wax, honey, venom, combs, and such which may be collected for commercial use. This subgenus may vary in their characteristics such as body size, wingspan, and tongue length for individual species, but like all bees, they possess wings, a head, thorax, and abdomen.
The Protepeolini are a tribe of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae, containing only one genus, Leiopodus.
Euglossa bazinga is a euglossine bee species found in Brazil. It is named after the catchphrase of the fictional character Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the television show The Big Bang Theory. It was previously misidentified as Euglossa ignita, and is threatened with habitat loss.
Euglossa decorata is a species of euglossine bee.
Bombus trophonius is an extinct species of bumble bee known from a Miocene fossil found in Europe. It belongs to the Bombus subgenus Cullumanobombus and is considered most similar to the living species Bombus rufocinctus of North America.
Biastes fulviventris is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, in the subgenus Neopasites.
Holcopasites calliopsidis is a species of cuckoo bee in the genus Holcopasites in the family Apidae. It is found from Mexico to Canada.
Holcopasites is a genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae. There are at least 20 described species in Holcopasites.
Brachymelecta is a genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae, formerly known by the name Xeromelecta.
Epeolus mesillae is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae.
Brachynomada is a genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae. There are about 16 described species in Brachynomada.
Brachynomadini is a tribe of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae. There are at least 5 genera and 20 described species in Brachynomadini.
Melecta pacifica is a species of hymenopteran in the family Apidae. It is found in North America.
Oreopasites is a genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae. There are about 11 described species in Oreopasites.
Paranomada is a genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae. There are at least three described species in Paranomada.
Biastes may refer to:
Peponapis is a genus of bees belonging to the family Apidae.