Subfamily Rophitinae - Short-faced Bees and Allies

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An excellent resource with very detailed discussions of bee morphology, behavior, and biology---from identification to genus, to in-depth coverage of (a surprisingly diverse variety of) nest architectures. Very readable, even though largely written at a technical level. Many helpful diagrams throughout. In particular, nearly every couplet of the key to genera is accompanied by illustrations for clarifying the characters and terms being discussed.

I find this book to be a very interesting and helpful reference...only wish it included all of western (and not just northwestern) America!

This work (written in English and Spanish) describes 169 genera of the region. Two keys are inluded: to the families, and to the genera of each family of bees of North and Central America. I find the detailed, and labeled, anatomical drawings useful, even without a microscope. (Of course, specimen and microscope make the work far more useful!)

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