Colletidae

Subfamily Hylaeinae Viereck

Genus Hylaeus Fabricius (10 taxa)

    Three subgenera are found in Florida, including Hylaeana Michener, Paraprosopis Popov, and Prosopis Fabricius. Most of the species are in the subgenus Prosopis. Three species are endemic to Florida, H. graenicheri in the Hylaeana, and H. flammipes and H. volusiensis in Prosopis.

    These are very small bees in general, but easily recognizable to the genus level. Some species are restricted geographically, some have notable red colorations, and many have distinctive facial and body maculae. Based on these characteristics, some species may be identifiable in the field. Specimens should be identified first to subgenus and then to species.

    All of our species appear to be polylectic, collecting pollen from a wide variety of flowers. Some species elsewhere have been shown to be oligolectic on Rosaceae. These bees carry pollen internally, where it is mixed with nectar to form a wet fluid. If pinning specimens, a yellow fluid (pollen mixed with nectar) in females is usually disgorged when the pin penetrates the thorax. Like the genus Colletes, the cells are provisioned with liquid. Detailed analysis of pollen contents from female guts should be used to determine if polylecty occurs in these species in Florida.

    Several species are common to abundant in wetlands, including H. confluens (very common in Osceola National Forest in Baker and Columbia counties, also found from wet Flatwoods sites from St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, relatively uncommon in Everglades National Park) and H. schwarzi in Everglades National Park (Miami-Dade county). They appear to be less common in upland sites, although H. floridanus is known from sand hill sites in Leon and Wakulla counties. Abundance patterns may be related to the nesting habits which are primarily stem nesting in pithy stems and twigs. These may be more abundant in marshes than in fire-prone upland habitats.

Key references to Florida Hylaeus.

Michener, C. D. 2000. Bees of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA. 913 p.

Mitchell, T.B. 1960. Bees of the Eastern United States. Volume I. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 141, 538 p.

Snelling, R.R. 1966. Studies on North American Bees of the Genus Hylaeus. 3. The Nearctic Subgenera (Hymenoptera: Colletidae). Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 65(3): 165-175.

 

Key to subgenera in Florida (from Snelling in Michener 2000)

Females (From Snelling 1966)

  1. Basal depression of tergum 1 longer than broad; dorsal surface of tergum 1 impunctate, strongly tessellate and dull; punctures of thorax rather coarse, obscured by very dense tessellation or roughening of the integument; carina bordering posterior margin of horizontal zone of propodeum strongly sinuate; sides of propodeum distinctly and deeply punctate..Hylaeana
  2. Basal depression of tergum 1 triangular, wider basally than long; horizontal surface of tergum 1 either strongly shining or distinctly, deeply punctate, or both; thoracic punctures usually fine, integument as a rule not strongly tessellate or roughened between punctures; posterior carina of basal zone of propodeum, when present, transverse or evenly curved, not at all sinuate; punctures of sides of propodeum as a rule not distinct…2

  3. Punctures of horizontal area of tergum 1, and usually of tergum 1, as a rule dense and distinct; facial foveae usually ending midway between eyes and ocelli, or nearer ocelli; posterior declivity of basal triangle of propodeum separated from horizontal face by distinct transverse carina..Paraprosopis

Puncture of terga 1 and 2 fine, usually separated by two or more times a puncture diameter; if denser, than apical margin of terga 2 reflexed upward; facial foveae usually ending nearer eyes than ocelli, rarely attaining midpoint; posterior declivity of basal triangle of propodeum separated from horizontal face by a carina, or not…Prosopis

Males

Note-The omaulus is the angle between the anterior and lateral faces of the mesespisternum (the lateral part of the pleura), anterior to the episternal groove.

  1. Omaulus, at least below level of lower end of episternal groove, carinate…Hylaeana.
  2. Omaulus rounded…2

  3. Apical process of S8 entire, more or less parallel-sided for most of its length and usually subapically broadened, apex rounded or truncate; first flagellar segment about as long as second.. Prosopis

Apical process of S8 deeply bifid at apex; first flagellar segment distinctly shorter than second..Paraprosopis