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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Anthophila (Apoidea) - Bees » Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees (Apidae) » Honey, Bumble, and Digger Bees (Apinae) » Long-horned bees (Eucerini) » Melissodes » Subgenus Callimelissodes (Melissodes Subgenus Callimelissodes)
Photo#212219
Cannonball bee - Melissodes
Copyright © 2008 Ron Hemberger

Cannonball bee - Melissodes
UCI Arboretum, Irvine, Orange County, California, USA
August 8, 2008
They arrived at the (native?) plant in a wave of 3-4 bees. Each cannonballs into a blossom, quickly rolls around a couple times, then zooms off a few inches to repeat the process. I'd guess they're rolling in pollen, but why stay such a short time? Any explanation of behavior would be welcome, as well as their ID.

Images of this individual: tag all
Cannonball bee - Melissodes Cannonball bee - Melissodes Cannonball bee - Melissodes - female Cannonball bee: Is it Anthophora? - Melissodes - female
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Contributed by Ron Hemberger on 10 August, 2008 - 10:40am
Last updated 19 November, 2009 - 7:37pm

Moved
Moved from Melissodes.
… John S. Ascher, 19 November, 2009 - 7:37pm login or register to post comments

Looks like a Melissodes (Callimelissodes)
female
… John S. Ascher, 19 November, 2009 - 7:37pm login or register to post comments

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