Andrenidae Colletidae Melittidae A guide to their identification in Eastern North America

Acknowledgements This presentation has been put together by a consortium of North American bee biologists This presentation has developed over many years and the original web picture acknowledgements were lost, if you see one of your pictures let us know and we will add your picture credit Correspondence can be sent to Sam Droege at sdroege@usgs.gov

This presentation has been put together by a consortium of North American bee biologists

This presentation has developed over many years and the original web picture acknowledgements were lost, if you see one of your pictures let us know and we will add your picture credit

Correspondence can be sent to Sam Droege at sdroege@usgs.gov

Format Each Genus has an information page followed by a page of illustrations and a map of the distribution of Eastern North American species; western populations of Eastern species are shown, but the Western species are not mapped. The number of Eastern species are listed at the top of the page

Each Genus has an information page followed by a page of illustrations and a map of the distribution of Eastern North American species; western populations of Eastern species are shown, but the Western species are not mapped.

The number of Eastern species are listed at the top of the page

Groups of Genera Andrenidae Andrena Calliopsis Panurginus Perdita Protandrena Pseudopanurgus Colletidae Caupolicana Colletes Hylaeus Melittidae Hesperapis Macropis Melitta

Andrenidae

Andrena

Calliopsis

Panurginus

Perdita

Protandrena

Pseudopanurgus

Colletidae

Caupolicana

Colletes

Hylaeus

Melittidae

Hesperapis

Macropis

Melitta

Family: Andrenidae Comprised of the following Genera: Andrena – 116 species Calliopsis - 3 Panurginus - 3 Perdita -26 Protandrena - 3 Pseudopanurgus - 15

Comprised of the following Genera:

Andrena – 116 species

Calliopsis - 3

Panurginus - 3

Perdita -26

Protandrena - 3

Pseudopanurgus - 15

Andrena Prominent facial fovea on females Most species black a few with reddish abdomens Some males and females with yellow on clypeus Many species are pollen specialists Many subtle characters available to separate species, but when using guides score these very conservatively as there are more opportunities for error when the species number is high and the number of questions long and then double check against species accounts and the complete scoring for the species. Similar genera: Melitta, Colletes, Lasioglossum

Prominent facial fovea on females

Most species black a few with reddish abdomens

Some males and females with yellow on clypeus

Many species are pollen specialists

Many subtle characters available to separate species, but when using guides score these very conservatively as there are more opportunities for error when the species number is high and the number of questions long and then double check against species accounts and the complete scoring for the species.

Similar genera: Melitta, Colletes, Lasioglossum

Andrena - 116

Calliopsis Inhabits open fields. The very common C. andreniformis often inhabits heavily used playing fields and other human-impacted sites. Small size, 2-submarginal cells, the bright yellow legs of the male and the 3 vertical ivory-colored facial markings of the females are a distinctive combination

Inhabits open fields.

The very common C. andreniformis often inhabits heavily used playing fields and other human-impacted sites.

Small size, 2-submarginal cells, the bright yellow legs of the male and the 3 vertical ivory-colored facial markings of the females are a distinctive combination

Calliopsis - 3 Small, C. andreniformis Common in Highly Disturbed Areas

Panurginus Small, spring, uncommon, black species Males often having yellow on their face 2 submarginal cells Close to Pseudopanurgus (which are mostly Fall species), but told apart by first recurrent and first transcubital veins directly intersecting Pre-episternal groove completely absent, but usually very hard to see Similar Genera: Pseudopanurgus, Perdita, Protandrena

Small, spring, uncommon, black species

Males often having yellow on their face

2 submarginal cells

Close to Pseudopanurgus (which are mostly Fall species), but told apart by first recurrent and first transcubital veins directly intersecting

Pre-episternal groove completely absent, but usually very hard to see

Similar Genera: Pseudopanurgus, Perdita, Protandrena

Panurginus - 3 Tiny and Uncommon

Perdita Among the smallest of bees Most males and females have patterns of white or pale yellow on their face, thorax and abdomen. Most females with very thin and sparse tibial scopa Short, truncated marginal cell Uncommonly collected but can be common in sandy localities Similar Genera: Pseudopanurgus, Panurginus, Protandrena

Among the smallest of bees

Most males and females have patterns of white or pale yellow on their face, thorax and abdomen.

Most females with very thin and sparse tibial scopa

Short, truncated marginal cell

Uncommonly collected but can be common in sandy localities

Similar Genera: Pseudopanurgus, Panurginus, Protandrena

Perdita - 26 Tiny, Sand-Lover

Protandrena A very uncommon group in the East 3 submarginal cells Best told by keying them out through the guide Similar Genera: Andrena, panurginus, Pseudopanurgus

A very uncommon group in the East

3 submarginal cells

Best told by keying them out through the guide

Similar Genera: Andrena, panurginus, Pseudopanurgus

Protandrena - 3 Rare

Pseudopanurgus Fall species, often on composites Similar to Panurginus Small, dark bees, with 2 marginal cells Pre-episternal groove present, sometimes very weak and hard to see, running down and to the front from upper end of the mesepisturnum, in some minute species this is visible only at upper end First transcubital vein does not meet the first recurrent vein; first recurrent vein shifted slightly to the interior of the second submarginal cell Males have often extensive amounts of yellow on their faces. Can be difficult to differentiate species Similar Genera: Panurginus, Protandrena, Perdita

Fall species, often on composites

Similar to Panurginus

Small, dark bees, with 2 marginal cells

Pre-episternal groove present, sometimes very weak and hard to see, running down and to the front from upper end of the mesepisturnum, in some minute species this is visible only at upper end

First transcubital vein does not meet the first recurrent vein; first recurrent vein shifted slightly to the interior of the second submarginal cell

Males have often extensive amounts of yellow on their faces.

Can be difficult to differentiate species

Similar Genera: Panurginus, Protandrena, Perdita

Pseudopanurgus - 15 Tiny, Uncommon

Colletidae Comprised of the following genera: Caupolicana – 2 species Colletes – 35 species Hylaeus – 24 species

Comprised of the following genera:

Caupolicana – 2 species

Colletes – 35 species

Hylaeus – 24 species

Caupolicana A rarely observed genus restricted to coastal dune areas in the deep south and the sandy central Florida Ridge These fast flying large species are usually only active at dawn and dusk 2 submarginal cells The first recurrent vein usually joins or nearly joins the first transcubital vein

A rarely observed genus restricted to coastal dune areas in the deep south and the sandy central Florida Ridge

These fast flying large species are usually only active at dawn and dusk

2 submarginal cells

The first recurrent vein usually joins or nearly joins the first transcubital vein

Caupolicana - 2 Deep South, Deep Sand Specialist, Very rare

Colletes General body shape often similar to a honeybee Face heart-shaped due to the angling inward of the compound eyes Distinctive in that the lower portion of the second recurrent arches out toward wing tip Similar Genus: Apis

General body shape often similar to a honeybee

Face heart-shaped due to the angling inward of the compound eyes

Distinctive in that the lower portion of the second recurrent arches out toward wing tip

Similar Genus: Apis

Colletes - 35

Hylaeus Black, small, thin-elongate body, with relatively few hairs and no scopa as this genus carries pollen internally Most females have elongate, thin, diamond yellow or ivory markings in the paraocular area between the eye and the clypeus/antennae Males usually have more extensive yellow facial markings, with yellow throughout the area below the antennae

Black, small, thin-elongate body, with relatively few hairs and no scopa as this genus carries pollen internally

Most females have elongate, thin, diamond yellow or ivory markings in the paraocular area between the eye and the clypeus/antennae

Males usually have more extensive yellow facial markings, with yellow throughout the area below the antennae

Hylaeus - 24 Common, masked, no scopa

Melittidae Comprised of the following genera: Hesperapis – 2 species Macropis – 4 species Melitta – 3 species

Comprised of the following genera:

Hesperapis – 2 species

Macropis – 4 species

Melitta – 3 species

Hesperapis Extremely uncommon bees Restricted to coastal barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico and dunes of the Great Lakes Abdomen noticeably flattened and integument soft compared to other groups Similar Genus: Calliopsis

Extremely uncommon bees

Restricted to coastal barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico and dunes of the Great Lakes

Abdomen noticeably flattened and integument soft compared to other groups

Similar Genus: Calliopsis

Hesperapis - 2 Very Rare, Deep South Barrier Islands

Macropis Rare bees, apparently much less common than in the past Associated with loosestrife ( Lysimachia) plants Small, dark bees, males with extensive yellow facial markings, 2 submarginal cells

Rare bees, apparently much less common than in the past

Associated with loosestrife ( Lysimachia) plants

Small, dark bees, males with extensive yellow facial markings, 2 submarginal cells

Macropis - 4 Small, Rare Bee, Oil Specialist, Loosestrife

Melitta Andrena like, rarely encountered pollen specialists on Ericaceous shrubs Scopal hairs on female only on tibia not on femur and trochanter-like Andrena Females also lack facial foveae, unlike Andrena Males lack a basitibial plate Similar Genus: Andrena

Andrena like, rarely encountered pollen specialists on Ericaceous shrubs

Scopal hairs on female only on tibia not on femur and trochanter-like Andrena

Females also lack facial foveae, unlike Andrena

Males lack a basitibial plate

Similar Genus: Andrena

Melitta - 3 Uncommon, Specialist

Resources Species lists, Identification Guides, and Maps for genera and species are available at: http://www.discoverlife.org/20/q?search=Apoidea A guide to the genera of the bees of Canada is available at: http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/pgs_03/pgs_03.html Mitchell’s 1960’s book on the bees of the Eastern United States is available as a series of pdf files at: http://insectmuseum.org/easternBees.php A slightly out of date guide to the identification of the genera of ALL of North America is available at: http://www.knoxcellars.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=KCNP&Product_Code=BGNA&Category_Code=BL

Species lists, Identification Guides, and Maps for genera and species are available at:

http://www.discoverlife.org/20/q?search=Apoidea

A guide to the genera of the bees of Canada is available at:

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/pgs_03/pgs_03.html

Mitchell’s 1960’s book on the bees of the Eastern United States is available as a series of pdf files at:

http://insectmuseum.org/easternBees.php

A slightly out of date guide to the identification of the genera of ALL of North America is available at:

http://www.knoxcellars.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=KCNP&Product_Code=BGNA&Category_Code=BL