False Margined Blood Bee
Sphecodes miniatus
Photo: (c) halinaa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by halinaa
Overview
The False Margined Blood Bee (Sphecodes miniatus) is a small cleptoparasitic bee species with a distinctive metallic black head and thorax contrasted by a bright red abdomen. As a brood parasite, it infiltrates the nests of solitary ground-nesting bees, laying its eggs in host cells where its larvae consume the provisions intended for the host's offspring. This specialized lifestyle makes it entirely dependent on healthy populations of its specific host bee species.
The False Margined Blood Bee (Sphecodes miniatus) faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized nesting sites and host plant communities. As a cleptoparasitic bee species that depends on specific host bees, it is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the ecological relationships that support both its hosts and the flowering plants they depend on.
Habitat
Sphecodes miniatus inhabits open sandy heathlands, coastal dunes, and flower-rich grasslands with sparse vegetation where its host bees construct their ground nests. The species requires areas with exposed sandy or light soil patches adjacent to diverse flowering plants that support both adult nectar feeding and host bee populations.
Other threatened species in Halictidae
Threatened in Austria
Frequently asked questions
Why is False Margined Blood Bee classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does False Margined Blood Bee live?
What are the main threats to False Margined Blood Bee?
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