Colletid bee
Hylaeus pictipes
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.
26
Countries
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) jgibbs, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by jgibbs
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Colletidae
Genus
Hylaeus
Colletid bee belongs to the family Colletidae, order Hymenoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
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.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
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.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
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.
Agricultural intensification and land conversion
Habitat loss and fragmentation from urban development
Invasive plant species altering native plant communities
Climate change affecting native plant phenology
Competition from introduced bee species
Found in 26 Countries
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Colletid bee (Hylaeus pictipes). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/colletid-bee