Colletidae
Encyclopedia
Colletidae is a family
of bee
s, and are often referred to collectively as plasterer bees or polyester bees, due to the method of smoothing the walls of their nest cells with secretions applied with their mouthparts; these secretions dry into a cellophane-like lining. There are 5 subfamilies, 54 genera
, and over 2000 species
, all of them evidently solitary, though many nest in aggregations. Two of the subfamilies, Euryglossinae and Hylaeinae, lack the external pollen-carrying apparatus (the scopa
) that otherwise characterizes most bees, and instead carry the pollen in their crop. These groups, and in fact most genera in this family, have liquid or semi-liquid pollen masses on which the larvae develop.
They can be found all over the world, but the most species live in South America
and Australia
. Over 50% of all bee species living in Australia belong to this family. Only the genera Colletes
and Hylaeus
can be found in Europe
, while in North America
there are, in addition to these two, the genera Caupolicana, Eulonchopria, and Ptiloglossa
.
Australian genera include Euhesma
, a large genus, members of which has been split off into other genera such as Euryglossa and Callohesma.
Traditionally, it has been believed that this family is likely the most "primitive" among extant bees, based primarily on the similarities of their mouthparts (the unique possession among bees of a bilobed glossa
) to those of Crabronidae
(the putative ancestors of bees), but recent molecular studies have disproved this hypothesis, placing Melittidae
(sensu lato) as the basal group of bees.
(of both the "vespertine
" and "matinal" types). These bees, as is typical in such cases, have greatly enlarged ocelli
. The other families with some crepuscular species are Andrenidae
, Halictidae
, and Apidae
.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s, and are often referred to collectively as plasterer bees or polyester bees, due to the method of smoothing the walls of their nest cells with secretions applied with their mouthparts; these secretions dry into a cellophane-like lining. There are 5 subfamilies, 54 genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
, and over 2000 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, all of them evidently solitary, though many nest in aggregations. Two of the subfamilies, Euryglossinae and Hylaeinae, lack the external pollen-carrying apparatus (the scopa
Scopa (biology)
The term scopa is used to refer to any of a number of different modifications on the body of a non-parasitic bee that form a pollen-carrying apparatus. In most bees, the scopa is simply a particularly dense mass of elongated, often branched, hairs on the hind leg...
) that otherwise characterizes most bees, and instead carry the pollen in their crop. These groups, and in fact most genera in this family, have liquid or semi-liquid pollen masses on which the larvae develop.
They can be found all over the world, but the most species live in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Over 50% of all bee species living in Australia belong to this family. Only the genera Colletes
Colletes
The genus Colletes is a very large group of ground-nesting bees within the bee family Colletidae, with over 450 species worldwide, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. These bees tend to be solitary, though sometimes nest close together in so-called aggregations...
and Hylaeus
Hylaeus (genus)
Hylaeus is a large and diverse cosmopolitan genus within the bee family Colletidae, consisting of generally small, black and yellow/white wasp-like species...
can be found in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, while in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
there are, in addition to these two, the genera Caupolicana, Eulonchopria, and Ptiloglossa
Ptiloglossa
Ptiloglossa is a small American genus within the bee family Colletidae, consisting of generally large, hairy species which are temporally-specialized crepuscular pollinators , and they often utilize a pollen-extraction behavior known as buzz pollination...
.
Australian genera include Euhesma
Euhesma
Euhesma is a genus within the bee family Colletidae found in Australia. There are around 46 species with maybe 20 more yet to be described. The group lacks strong unifying features and maybe further split in the future. The type species is Euhesma wahlenbergiae....
, a large genus, members of which has been split off into other genera such as Euryglossa and Callohesma.
Traditionally, it has been believed that this family is likely the most "primitive" among extant bees, based primarily on the similarities of their mouthparts (the unique possession among bees of a bilobed glossa
Glossa
Glossa may refer to several things:*glossa , a Greek word meaning "tongue" or "language" and is used in several English words including gloss, glossary, glossitis, and others...
) to those of Crabronidae
Crabronidae
Crabronidae is a large family of wasps, that includes nearly all of the species formerly comprising the now-defunct superfamily Sphecoidea. It collectively includes well over 200 genera, containing well over 9000 species. Crabronids were originally a part of Sphecidae, but the latter name is now...
(the putative ancestors of bees), but recent molecular studies have disproved this hypothesis, placing Melittidae
Melittidae
The family Melittidae is a small bee family, with some 60 species in 4 genera, restricted to Africa and the northern temperate zone. Historically, the family has included the Dasypodaidae and Meganomiidae as subfamilies, but recent molecular studies indicate that Melittidae was paraphyletic, so...
(sensu lato) as the basal group of bees.
"Nocturnal" species
The Colletidae is one of the four bee families that contains some species that are crepuscularCrepuscular
Crepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight, that is during dawn and dusk. The word is derived from the Latin word crepusculum, meaning "twilight." Crepuscular is, thus, in contrast with diurnal and nocturnal behavior. Crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright...
(of both the "vespertine
Vespertine (biology)
Vespertine is a term used in the life sciences to indicate something of, relating to, or occurring in the evening. In botany, a vespertine flower is one that opens or blooms in the evening. In zoology, the term is used for a creature that becomes active in the evening, such as bats and owls...
" and "matinal" types). These bees, as is typical in such cases, have greatly enlarged ocelli
Ocellus
A simple eye refers to a type of eye design or optical arrangement that contains a single lens which detect light. A "simple eye" is so-called in distinction from a multi-lensed "compound eye", and is not necessarily at all simple in the usual sense of the word...
. The other families with some crepuscular species are Andrenidae
Andrenidae
The family Andrenidae is a large cosmopolitan non-parasitic bee family, with most of the diversity in temperate and/or arid areas , including some truly enormous genera...
, Halictidae
Halictidae
Halictidae is a cosmopolitan family of the order Hymenoptera consisting of small to midsize bees which are usually dark-colored and often metallic in appearance...
, and Apidae
Apidae
The Apidae are a large family of bees, comprising the common honey bees, stingless bees , carpenter bees, orchid bees, cuckoo bees, bumblebees, and various other less well-known groups...
.