[Pollinator] Fwd: Barren Grounds bees

[Peter Bernhardt]

Michael Batley promptly identified the bees we gave him this afternoon.
Read his message (below).  I may have collected a new species!

The FIliglossa (subgenus in Leioproctus) story is very interesting..
Michael says that females of some species nest in termite mounds. They are
tiny bees feeding primarily on Persoonia but are often too small to open
the hinged petals.  They have modified hairs on their heads and push them
in between the petals instead.  The bee looks like it has a Fu Manchu
mustache.  It's a weird story involving Tarlton Rayment soe see the
following link.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230266437_Revision_of_Leioproctus_Filiglossa_Rayment_Hymenoptera_Colletidae

Peter

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael <michael.batley at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 7, 2016 at 9:24 PM
Subject: Barren Grounds bees
To: Peter Bernhardt <bernhap2 at slu.edu>


Dear Peter,

Here are the identifications of your Barren Grounds collections. You did,
after all, get a Leioproctus (Filiglossa) specimen.

The Hylaeus species was very interesting, both because it had an unusual
colouration pattern for a hylaeine and because it seems to be an
undescribed species. There are a couple of similar-looking species, but I
am confident that it is not either of them. Terry Houston may have
collected this species before, but I have never seen it. So it is at least
an undescribed species and may be previously unknown. Terry is busy writing
a book at the moment, so I won't bother him with it until the end of the
year or whenever he finishes. In the meantime I can see whether I can find
more specimens - a male, in particular.

Thanks for bringing them in.

Michael
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