Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Megacilissa gloriosa Fox, 1893; Oxaea tristis Gribodo, 1894; Protoxaea gloriosa pallida Cockerell, 1934
Habitat
Deserts and xeric grasslands
Season
Most numerous in late summer following monsoon rains
Food
Polylectic bee (generalist pollen/ nectar collector) frequenting especially
Larrea tridentata (creosote bush), and
Kallstroemia grandiflora (Arizona caltrop), both in
Zygophyllaceae (Caltrop family). Other plants visited:
Solanum elaeagnifolium,
Solanum rostratum (
Solanaceae/ Nightshade family),
Calliandra schottii,
Senna bauhinioides (formerly in genus
Cassia; both
Calliandra and
Senna in Legume family/
Fabaceae) [see Cazier & Linsley, 1974, and Hurd & Linsley, 1975, references below]. The Hosts section on its
Discover Life species page lists known floral associations based on specimen records and images.
Remarks
The most common oxaeine in Arizona
Print References
Cazier, M. A., and E. G. Linsley. 1974. Foraging Behavior of Some Bees and Wasps at
Kallstroemia grandiflora Flowers in Southern Arizona and New Mexico. American Museum Novitates, No. 2546.
(PDF)
Hurd, P. D., Jr., and E. G. Linsley. 1975. The Principal
Larrea Bees of the Southwestern United States (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, No. 193.
(PDF)
Hurd, P. D., Jr., and E. G. Linsley. 1976. The bee family Oxaeidae with a revision of the North American species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 220: 1-75.
Rozen, J. G., Jr. 1965. Phylogenetic-taxonomic significance of last instar of Protoxaea gloriosa Fox, with descriptions of first and last instars. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 72: 223-230.
