Calliopsis (bee) explained

Calliopsis is a genus of panurgine bees in the family Andrenidae. There are over 80 described species[1] distributed throughout the western hemisphere.[2]

Description

Calliopsis are small dark bees, often with yellow or white markings, especially in males. Calliopsis andreniformis have green eyes, and males of the species have bright yellow faces and legs.[3] [4]

Mating

Male Calliopsis fly close to the ground and, in one species, many of them evidently copulate with only 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.

Nesting

Nearly all female Calliopsis are solitary nesters, but they locate nests within aggregations with 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 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.

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 that some species' nests can survive complete submersion: Calliopsis pugionis emerged from nests that had been underwater for at least 3 months.[9]

Species

These 88 species belong to the genus Calliopsis.[10] [11] [12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Calliopsis. ITIS. 19 June 2017.
  2. Book: Michener. Charles D.. The bees of the world. 2007. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore. 978-0-8018-8573-0. 306. 2nd.
  3. Shinn, Alvin F. A revision of the bee genus Calliopsis and the biology and ecology of C. andreniformis (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae). University of Kansas Publications, 1967.
  4. Web site: Wild Bees of New York State - Native Bees. Sharp-Eatman Nature Photography. 2017-06-28.
  5. Visscher. P. K.. Danforth. B. N.. 1993-11-01. Biology of Calliopsis pugionis (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae): Nesting, Foraging, and Investment Sex Ratio. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. en. 86. 6. 822–832. 10.1093/aesa/86.6.822. 0013-8746.
  6. Wcislo. William T.. 1999. Male Territoriality and Nesting Behavior of Calliopsis hondurasicus Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). 25085881. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 72. 1. 91–98.
  7. Danforth. Bryan N.. 1990-09-01. Provisioning behavior and the estimation of investment ratios in a solitary bee, Calliopsis (Hypomacrotera) persimilis (Cockerell) (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. en. 27. 3. 159–168. 10.1007/bf00180299. 2144041 . 0340-5443.
  8. Web site: Wild Bees of New York State - Native Bees - Rockefeller Park Preserve. Sharp-Eatman Nature Photography. 2017-06-28.
  9. Visscher. P. K.. Vetter. R. S.. Orth. R.. 1994-11-01. Benthic Bees? Emergence Phenology of Calliopsis pugionis (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) at a Seasonally Flooded Site. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. en. 87. 6. 941–945. 10.1093/aesa/87.6.941. 0013-8746.
  10. Web site: Calliopsis Overview. Encyclopedia of Life. 2018-03-04.
  11. Web site: Browse Calliopsis. Catalogue of Life. 2018-03-04.
  12. Web site: Calliopsis Report. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 2018-03-04.

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