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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Apoidea (clade Anthophila) - Bees » Miner, Fairy, Allied Panurgine, and Oxaeine Bees (Andrenidae) » Panurgine Bees (Panurginae) » Fairy Bees and Allies (Panurgini) » Fairy and Goblin Bees (Perditina) » Fairy Bees (Perdita) » Subgenus Perdita (Perdita Subgenus Perdita) » ventralis species group (Perdita ventralis species group)
Photo#451230
Mystery tiny bee or wasp on Mentzelia - Perdita
Copyright © 2010 Lynn Monroe

Mystery tiny bee or wasp on Mentzelia - Perdita
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, California, USA
April 28, 2010
Size: BL ~ 3 mm
This tiny bee or wasp was on the petal of a worn Mentzelia involucrata flower in Quartz Vein Wash. It will be difficult to ID because it has no wing venation; perhaps the orange abdomen will help. Only certain "pollinator guild" bees can open up a Mentzeliaflower and release pollen, but then I read that other bees take the pollen once it's been released. Especially they mention Perdita. Any help will be appreciated.
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Contributed by Lynn Monroe on 4 September, 2010 - 5:50pm
Last updated 4 September, 2010 - 10:30pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John S. Ascher, 4 September, 2010 - 10:30pm login or register to post comments

 
Perdita in Mentzelia
Thanks for this identification, Dr. Ascher. I've become very interested in the insects associated with Mentzelia, and this tiny bee is part of the story.
… Lynn Monroe, 5 September, 2010 - 4:50am login or register to post comments

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