Colletid bee
Hylaeus pictipes
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) jgibbs, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by jgibbs
Overview
Hylaeus pictipes is a small, black colletid bee with distinctive yellow markings on the face and legs, belonging to the masked bee group. These solitary bees are important pollinators of native flowering plants, with females constructing brood cells lined with a cellophane-like secretion in hollow stems or small cavities. As specialized native pollinators, they play a crucial role in maintaining plant community diversity and reproductive success of their host flora.
Hylaeus pictipes, the yellow-faced bumble bee, faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from urban development and agricultural intensification in its native Hawaiian range. The species is also threatened by invasive plant species that alter native ecosystems and competition from introduced bee species that may outcompete it for limited floral resources.
Habitat
Hylaeus pictipes inhabits coastal dune systems, native grasslands, and open woodlands where they depend on specific native flowering plants for nectar and pollen. They require areas with suitable nesting substrates such as hollow plant stems, beetle borings in dead wood, or small natural cavities in sandy banks or cliff faces.
Other threatened species in Colletidae
Threatened in Åland Islands
Frequently asked questions
Why is Colletid bee classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Colletid bee live?
What are the main threats to Colletid bee?
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