EuryglossinaeEuryglossinae Index Callohesma Dasyhesma Euhesma Eurglossa adelaidae Euryglossa calaina Euryglossa ephippiata Euryglossina fuscescens Xanthesma
…at first glance, looked a bit like the Callomelitta, and they do a bit except these are only about half the size (barely 5 mm long). Fairly confident this is Dasyhesma, a Euryglossine genus… which would also account for no sign of pollen being collected, as they don’t collect it externally, they ingest and regurgitate it.
Author Gary Taylor, Geraldton, Midwest WA
Belonging to the primitive bee family Colletidae, whose subfamilies include the Euryglossinae that are entirely endemic to Australia, and with many species still being discovered and described, is the genus Dasyhesma (subfamily Euryglossinae).
Like the Hylaeines, Euryglossine bees don’t collect pollen externally for their offspring, they ingest it. This adaptation to swallowing both pollen and nectar, enables them to regurgitate back at the nests, negating the need for pollen-collecting scopae.
In a process known as “bubbling”, the bees create a dense bubble of a nutritious mix of pollen and nectar for the nursery chamber where the bee has laid their eggs. In the following image, you can see a species of the genus Dasyhesma bubbling on a native flower.
Check out the blog on the Bubbling Euryglossinae Dasyhesma…
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Superfamily: Apoidea
- Informal: Apiformes
- Family: Colletidae
- Subfamily: Euryglossinae
- Genus: Dasyhesma
Footnote & References
- Euryglossinae, Photographs and content © Gary Taylor
- Dasyhesma, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Dasyhesma
- Exley, Elizabeth. (2002). Bees of the Euhesma crabronica species-group (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Euryglossinae). Records of the Western Australian Museum. 21. 10.18195/issn.0312-3162.21(2).2002.203-211, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267230589_Bees_of_the_Euhesma_crabronica_species-group_Hymenoptera_Colletidae_Euryglossinae
- Revision of the genus Dasyhesma Michener (Apoidea: Colletidae: Euryglossinae), Western Australian Museum, https://museum.wa.gov.au/research/records-supplements/records/revision-genus-dasyhesma-michener-apoidea-colletidae-euryglossi
EuryglossinaeEuryglossinae Index Callohesma Dasyhesma Euhesma Eurglossa adelaidae Euryglossa calaina Euryglossa calaina female Euryglossa ephippiata Euryglossina fuscescens Xanthesma Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra Xanthesma (Xenohesma) perpulchra and Xanthesma (Xanthesma) brachycera
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