Colletes abeillei

Colletes abeillei
C. abeillei from Spain
Colletes abeillei from France
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Colletidae
Genus:	Colletes
Species:	C. abeillei
Binomial name
Colletes abeillei Pérez, 1903
Map of the western Mediterranean region where C. abeillei lives

Colletes abeillei, also known as Abeille's Cellophane bee, is a species of bee belonging to the subfamily Colletinae. It is native all throughout the Western Mediterranean. It prefers flowers of the Cistus genus and various flower species of the Apiaceae family. ^[2]

Distribution

This species is distributed across the western Mediterranean Sea. Warm, flower-rich habitats including pasture, coastal dunes, woodland edges, maquis, field margins and scrub. Regions in its range include the western Italian coast, Sicily, southern France, Spain, Portugal, the Balearic Islands, and Morocco. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Description

It is a medium-sized species with an appearance and distribution similar to Colletes fodiens . The females of this species possess a dense covering of pale buffish thoracic hairs and broad off-white abdominal bands. Males possess a somewhat thinner abdominal bands and greyer thoracic hairs. ^[2]

References

1. Kuhlmann, M. (2013). "Colletes abeillei (Europe assessment)". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T13301968A13309391. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
2. "Colletes abeillei - The Irish Naturalist". 2024-07-29. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
3. "Abeille's Cellophane Bee (Colletes abeillei)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
4. "Colletes abeillei Pérez, 1903". Global Biodiversity Information Facility . Retrieved 2025-09-02.