Hylaeus modestus

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Hylaeus modestus
Hylaeus modestus, M, Face, VA, Wolftrap 2013-06-26-17.21.38 ZS PMax (9152224658).jpg
A male Hylaeus modestus, a masked bee found in the new gardens of Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Colletidae
Genus: Hylaeus
Species:
H. modestus
Binomial name
Hylaeus modestus
Say, 1837
Subspecies

Hylaeus modestus, also known as the modest masked bee, is a species of hymenopteran in the family Colletidae. It is found in North America. [2] [3]

Contents

Behavior

Hylaeus modestus was discovered to have a special secretion that they produce from their Dufour's gland. The secretion has a unique chemical compound containing high concentrations of ethyl esters (ethyl palmitate, ethyl stearate, ethyl eicosanate, and ethyl docosanate) [4] , which provides extra nutrition to the larvae. Adults apply the secretion on the cell walls of their brood chambers, and the larvae feed on the secretions to obtain the energy needed to pupate and become adults before the other bee species out-compete them for resources.[ citation needed ]

H. modestus has been found to exhibit gynandromorphism, which is a rare occurrence among bee species. Specifically, the observed specimen demonstrated bilaterally asymmetric male and female characteristics except for the male genitalia. [5]

It is a generalist forager, and it nests in stems and cavities. [6]

References

  1. "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Hylaeus modestus Modest Yellow-faced Bee". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  2. "Hylaeus modestus Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  3. "Hylaeus modestus". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  4. Duffield,  R. M.; Fernandes,  A.; McKay,  S.; Wheeler,  J. W.; Snelling,  R. R. (1980). "Chemistry of the exocrine secretions of Hylaeus modestus (Hymenoptera: Colletidae)". Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Comparative Biochemistry. 67 (1):  159–162. doi:10.1016/0305-0491(80)90287-4.
  5. Lightburn,  K.; Van Acker,  R.; Raine,  N.E. (2022). "The first gynandromorph record of the North American bee Hylaeus modestus (Hymenoptera: Colletidae)". Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario. 153.
  6. Onuferko,  T.M.; Kutby,  R.; Richards,  M.H. (2015). "A list of bee species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) recorded from three municipalities in the Niagara region of Ontario, including a new record of Lasioglossum furunculum Gibbs (Halictidae) in Canada". Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario. 146.

Further reading