Hyleoides concinna, the common wasp-mimic bee, is a species of solitary bee in the family Colletidae. It was first described in 1775 by Johan Christian Fabricius, who mistook it for a wasp. It is native to south-eastern Australia, and has accidentally been introduced to New Zealand. The abdomen is orange and black on top, with a yellow band underneath. Nests are constructed in pre-existing cavities in wood, such as the tunnels produced by longhorn beetle larvae. It collects nectar and pollen from a wide range of flowering plant species.
The common wasp-mimic bee was first described by Danish zoologist Johan Christian Fabricius, who (believing it to be a wasp) named it Vespa concinna in 1775.[2] The specific name (concinna) is a Latin word meaning "beautiful".[3] The holotype specimen is a female, which is stored in the Natural History Museum, London.[4] It was collected by Joseph Banks during the first voyage of James Cook.[5] This expedition was the first time Europeans had visited the eastern coastline of Australia.[6]
Description
Male
The common wasp-mimic bee has evolved several features that make it look like a potter wasp.[7] These features include a bold colour pattern, partly darkened forewings, and a habit of holding the wings out in a V-shape when alighting.[7] Wasps tend to be more aggressive than bees, so it's believed this mimicry might serve to frighten away predators.[8] This bee can be distinguished from most potter wasps by the absence of a long, narrow waist and the presence of small tufts of branched hairs on the thorax.[9][3]
Female
The second abdominal segment is black, and the remaining segments are mostly orange on top.[10] There is a yellow band under the third abdominal segment.[10] The thorax is black, sometimes with orange spots.[10] The head is black. Males and females can be differentiated by the shape and colour of markings on the clypeus – yellow in the male, and orange (narrowing below) in the female.[10] Males are 10 to 12mm (0.39 to 0.47in) in length.[10] Females are usually slightly larger at 12 to 13mm (0.47 to 0.51in).[10]
Distribution and habitat
The common wasp-mimic bee lives in urban areas, woodlands, forests and heath.[8] It is native to south-eastern Australia, with records from South Australia (including Kangaroo Island), Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and southern Queensland.[4]
It was accidentally introduced to the North Island of New Zealand some time before 1980.[10] It is believed that it entered the country as diapausingprepupae in nests in imported timber.[10] This was likely via the ports of Gisborne and Napier.[10] By 2021 it had reached the South Island of New Zealand, and it is expected to spread to the rest of the country, which has a suitable climate for this species.[11]
Behaviour and ecology
Log being used for nestingHyleoides concinna nests in holes that were created by borer insects (likely longhorn beetle larvae). A curtain of cellophane-like material is visible at the entrance of each nest.
The common wasp-mimic bee is solitary, and it has one brood per year.[10] Females construct nests in summer in pre-existing cavities, such as the tunnels made in wood by longhorn beetle larvae.[3] This bee will also nest in man-made cavities, such as drilled timber holes and bamboo canes in bee hotels.[12] The preferred cavity diameter is 6 to 8 millimetres.[13]
Females begin nesting by building a curtain of silk threads over the entrance.[3] The threads are made from a cellophane-like material secreted by the bee.[3] The threads are attached to the walls of the hole, but are free in the centre allowing the female to easily move through.[7] This curtain is probably a visual deterrent to parasitoid insects.[7] The female can often be seen resting behind the curtain with only her antennae protruding through.[3]
After constructing the curtain, she creates a series of brood cells using more of the waterproof cellophane-like material.[3] Each cell is half-filled with a provision of nectar and pollen, and an egg is laid upon each provision.[3] The females of this species carry the pollen internally, as they lack the external pollen-carrying structures of many other bees.[10] Up to eight cells may be provisioned and closed before the female seals the entire nest with a solid wall to protect against predators.[3]
Male roosting aggregation
The larvae consume the provisions and pupate, emerging as adults the following spring.[10] In Australia, adults can be seen from October to March (based on records from the Sydney region).[3] In New Zealand the adults are most active from November to March.[10]
The common wasp-mimic bee has been recorded visiting a wide range of flowers, including those from the following genera; Angophora, Callistemon, Eucalyptus, Lophostemon, Banksia, Daviesia, Jacksonia, Melaleuca, Brachychiton, Eremophila, Lambertia, Persoonia, Pultenaea, Leucospermum, Saponaria, Chrysanthemum, Tecoma, Bursaria, Foeniculum and Acmena.[10] It tends to forage on flowers slower than honeybees and wasps, which helps to distinguish it in flight.[14]
Males are known to form roosting aggregations on branches or twigs.[15] Females can sting, but they are not aggressive, and will only sting humans if pressed against the skin.[10]
In culture
This was one of four species featured in a set of native bee postage stamps, which were available from Australia Post in 2019.[16]
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Dollin, Anne; Batley, Michael; Robinson, Martyn; Faulkner, Brian (2017). Native Bees of the Sydney Region (3rded.). Australian Native Bee Research Centre. pp.36, 61, 64. ISBN9781876307233.
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