Family Colletidae - Cellophane, Plasterer, Masked, and Allied Bees

Masked Bees

ca. 160 spp. in 6 genera of 4 subfamilies in our area, >2,500 spp. in ~90 genera of 8 subfamilies worldwide(1)

Subfamilies:

Overview of our fauna (* –taxa not yet in the guide)

Family Colletidae

Subfamily Colletinae Colletes

Subfamily Diphaglossinae

Subfamily Hylaeinae Hylaeus (subgenera Cephalylaeus, Gnathoprosopis, Hylaeana, Hylaeus, *Metziella, Paraprosopis, *Prosopella, Prosopis, Spatulariella)

Subfamily *Paracolletinae *Eulonchopria

Jugal lobe in HW longer than submedian cell. Basal vein straight or nearly so. One subantennal suture below each antennal socket. Glossa short, bilobed or truncate. 2nd and 3rd submarginal cells are roughly the same size (in Andrenidae, 2nd one is distinctly smaller)(2)(3)

OVERVIEW OF GENERA

Subfamily Colletinae

Subfamily Diphaglossinae

Subfamily Hylaeinae

Worldwide, most speciose in S.America and Australia

Plasterer bees are the first to appear in spring.(5)

Euryglossinae and Hylaeinae lack external pollen-carrying apparatus (scopa), they carry pollen in their crops. Plasterer bees use a secretion to plaster the walls of their nests. This dries into a cellophane-like lining. The lining envelopes the store of pollen and nectar, keeping it fresh in the damp, underground chambers.(5)