Green Bee - Euglossa dilemma

Tribe Euglossini

is in Subfamily Apinae (not Euglossinae)

… John S. Ascher, 23 September, 2006 - 4:59pm

Thanks John

I just put it where I was told to. If the tribe is wrong one of the bosses will have to fix it.

… Carla Finley, 23 September, 2006 - 6:07pm

Euglossa

Wow! This is a female Euglossa, they are in the same group as the honey bees and the bumble bees, because they have a corbiculum (collecting hairs at the hind tibia), but they are not social. They have nothing to do with Halictids. The males are famous for collecting oil and scent from Orchid-flowers and sorting them in their hollow and enlarged hindlegs. They are a New World tropics group and there are only a few records from the US, but I’m not a bee specialist and I’m not sure if this is an invasive species or if it is ‘native’ in Florida...

… Martin Hauser, 3 May, 2006 - 12:39pm

Rare?

Lots of them at Tree Tops Park on this flower. Don't know what the flower is but looks like a trumpet of some sort.
Carla Finley
Venice, FL
http://community.webshots.com/user/CarlaFinley

… Carla Finley, 3 May, 2006 - 1:49pm

Not native.

Euglossa appears to be getting rather common in some locations in Florida. Whether they rode a hurricane, or got shipped in on something, it appears they are established now. The Florida Ag Department has captured males over several years in traps set out for fruit flies. More recently, images have been submitted here, and to whatsthatbug.com.

… Eric R. Eaton, 3 May, 2006 - 3:25pm

aaahhaaaa

makes sense. thank you for correcting me. i now know

… Omar Fahmy, 3 May, 2006 - 12:54pm

the

long 'thing' is the hypopharynx or the tongue. check out [url=http://bugguide.net/node/view/48816]here[/here] to learn more about the mouthparts. very awesome shot of flight

i wonder if this is a Halicitid

… Omar Fahmy, 3 May, 2006 - 10:42am

Thanks Omar,

Your article is very informative and well written.
Carla Finley
Venice, FL
http://community.webshots.com/user/CarlaFinley

… Carla Finley, 3 May, 2006 - 11:00am

thats amazing

the tongue is as long as the body

… Omar Fahmy, 3 May, 2006 - 12:21pm