| Calliopsis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Calliopsis andreniformis, female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Andrenidae |
| Subfamily: | Panurginae |
| Tribe: | Calliopsini |
| Genus: | Calliopsis Smith, 1853 |
Calliopsis is a genus of panurgine bees in the family Andrenidae. There are over 80 described species [1] distributed throughout the western hemisphere. [2]
Calliopsis have yellow and black stripes, long legs and dark wings. Instead of having a long head like other bees, Calliopsis' s heads are quite broad. Male Calliopsis have broad yellow stripes on their head, while females have narrow yellow stripes. The bees also have very distinctive long narrow wings and extra hairy thoraxes. Calliopsis andreniformis bees have green eyes, and males of the species have bright yellow faces and legs. [3] [4]
Since Calliopsis has many different species, a lot of bees behave differently in different region. For example, Calliopsis hondurasicus become active at the start of the dry season in mid- to late-December, and activity ends in late January or early February. Males patrol areas where females emerge and later nest, and they defend territories to which they return repeatedly. Male-male contests involve a rapid spiraling-upward flight, often followed by physical aggression after the pair tumbles to the ground.
Calliopsis, like other bees, use their vision to locate food. They gather nectar and pollen from flowers. Most bees are vegetarian (but see vulture bee).
Male Calliopsis fly close to the ground and many of them copulate with a single female. Mating takes place on flowers and at nest sites. [5] Calliopsis also are univoltine, which means they only have one brood of offspring a year.
Unlike the meiosis-based sex determination mechanisms of many animals, sex determination in Hymenoptera is clearly under control of the female through selective fertilization of eggs.
Nearly all female Calliopsis are solitary nesters, but they dig nests within aggregations near other females. [6] Nests are built in the form of horizontal tunnels connected to waterproofed chambers containing eggs and provisions stored by the mother bee. [7] Each female of this genus digs a solitary underground nest, usually in compacted, dense soil and close to flowering plants that serve as food sources. [8] Calliopsis nesting aggregations can be as dense as 1,650 nests/m^2. [9]
The nest tunnels measure 7.5 mm maximum diameter and 13 mm long. Calliopsis bees build their nest the way they do to mitigate competition between males. Their nest is built for waterproof hazards to keep the soil dry until the ground evaporates. Although reported in a few other bee groups, Calliopsis are unusual in including aquatic nesters: Calliopsis pugionis emerged from nests that had been underwater for at least 3 months. [10]
These 88 species belong to the genus Calliopsis. [11] [12] [13]
Hylaeus is a large and diverse cosmopolitan genus within the bee family Colletidae. This genus is also known as the yellow-faced bees or masked bees. This genus is the only truly globally distributed colletid, occurring on all continents except Antarctica.
Andrena is a genus of bees in the family Andrenidae. With over 1,500 species, it is one of the largest genera of animals. It is a strongly monophyletic group that is difficult to split into more manageable divisions; currently, Andrena is organized into 104 subgenera. It is nearly worldwide in distribution, with the notable exceptions of Oceania and South America. Bees in this genus are commonly known as mining bees due to their ground-nesting lifestyle.
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Macrotera portalis is a species of communal, ground nesting, partially bivoltine bees found in arid grasslands and desert regions of North America. An oligolectic bee, M. portalis gathers pollen only from plants in the genus Sphaeralcea and has patterns of seasonal emergence to survive the harsh conditions of the desert, with emergence delayed until monsoon rains arrive.
Epeolus is a genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae. They are often known as variegated cuckoo-bees.
Calliopsini is a tribe of mining bees in the family Andrenidae. There are at least 120 described species in Calliopsini.
Habropoda is a genus of anthophorine bees in the family Apidae. There are at least 50 described species in Habropoda.
The eastern miner bee is a species of miner bee in the family Andrenidae. It is found in North America.
Andrena astragali, the death camas miner bee or death camas bee, is a species of miner bee in the family Andrenidae. It is found in North America. It specializes in feeding on the highly poisonous Toxicoscordion venenosum, the meadow deathcamas, and close relatives. It is quite likely the only bee that can tolerate the deathcamas toxin, zygacine.
The dotted miner bee is a species of miner bee in the family Andrenidae. Another common name for this species is Cresson's andrena. It is found in North America.
Protandrena is a genus of mining bees in the family Andrenidae. Depending upon whose definition of the genus one follows, there are anywhere from 50 to 180 described species in Protandrena; traditional classifications recognize 7 subgenera, some of which are sometimes elevated to genus rank, and other classifications place many of these species in the related genus Pseudopanurgus (e.g.), leaving Protandrena with a much smaller constituency. In the most inclusive definition, they are found from Canada through Argentina. However, there is current disagreement whether the Protandrena in South America belong to different genera, in which case the genus extends only as far south as Panama. They are solitary bees, but some species nest in aggregates. They prefer to nest in sunny areas with sparse vegetation. The underground nests have cells lined with a chemical substance. This "wallpaper" acts as a barrier between fungi and bacteria. The eggs hatch, the larvae develop, and then overwinter as mature larvae with hardened skinThey are primarily active from May to October, but have been noted to be active in April in the region six of the United States.
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Panurginus is a genus of bees in the family Andrenidae. There are more than 50 described species in Panurginus.
Andrena prunorum, otherwise known as the purple miner bee, is a species of solitary bees in the family Andrenidae. It is commonly found in the continental United States as well as much of North and Central America. Andrena prunorum is a spring-flying, ground-nesting bee that serves as a ubiquitous generalist in ecological settings. Both males and females live as prepupae in the winter in which they mate, and the females seek new sites for ground burrows. From there, they construct small cells surrounding a ball of pollen combined with nectar to nourish a laid egg before each cell is sealed, and the cycle begins anew. A. prunorum generally prefer the pollen derived from Rosaceae plants but will pollinate fruit trees if given the opportunity.
Calliopsis zonalis is a species of bee in the family Andrenidae. It is found in North America.
Hesperapis oraria, or Gulf Coast solitary bee is a rare species of bee in the family Melittidae. It was first described in 1997. The bee's current known range is on the barrier islands and coastal mainland secondary dunes on the Gulf Coast of the United States in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. The Gulf Coast solitary bee is the only known member of its subfamily in the eastern United States, and it is a monolege of the coastal plain honeycomb head.
The streaked miner bee is a species of miner bee in the family Andrenidae. It is found in North America.