Biology:Hyleoides concinna
| Hyleoides concinna | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Missing taxonomy template (fix): | Hyleoides |
| Species: | Template:Taxonomy/HyleoidesH. concinna
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| Binomial name | |
| Template:Taxonomy/HyleoidesHyleoides concinna (Fabricius, 1775)[1]
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Hyleoides concinna, the common wasp-mimic bee, is a species of solitary bee in the family Colletidae. It was first described in 1775 by Johan Christian Fabricius, who mistook it for a wasp. It is native to south-eastern Australia, and has accidentally been introduced to New Zealand. The abdomen is orange and black on top, with a yellow band underneath. Nests are constructed in pre-existing cavities in wood, such as the tunnels produced by longhorn beetle larvae. It collects nectar and pollen from a wide range of flowering plant species.
Taxonomy
The common wasp-mimic bee was first described by Danish zoologist Johan Christian Fabricius, who (believing it to be a wasp) named it Vespa concinna in 1775.[2] The specific name (concinna) is a Latin word meaning "beautiful".[3] The holotype specimen is a female, which is stored in the Natural History Museum, London.[4] It was collected by Joseph Banks during the first voyage of James Cook.[5] This expedition was the first time Europeans had visited the eastern coastline of Australia.[6]
Description
The common wasp-mimic bee has evolved several features that make it look like a potter wasp.[7] These features include a bold colour pattern, partly darkened forewings, and a habit of holding the wings out in a V-shape when alighting.[7] Wasps tend to be more aggressive than bees, so it's believed this mimicry might serve to frighten away predators.[8] This bee can be distinguished from most potter wasps by the absence of a long, narrow waist and the presence of small tufts of branched hairs on the thorax.[9][3]
The second abdominal segment is black, and the remaining segments are mostly orange on top.[10] There is a yellow band under the third abdominal segment.[10] The thorax is black, sometimes with orange spots.[10] The head is black. Males and females can be differentiated by the shape and colour of markings on the clypeus – yellow in the male, and orange (narrowing below) in the female.[10] Males are 10 to 12 mm (0.39 to 0.47 in) in length.[10] Females are usually slightly larger at 12 to 13 mm (0.47 to 0.51 in).[10]
Distribution and habitat
The common wasp-mimic bee lives in urban areas, woodlands, forests and heath.[8] It is native to south-eastern Australia, with records from South Australia (including Kangaroo Island), Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and southern Queensland.[4]
It was accidentally introduced to the North Island of New Zealand some time before 1980.[10] It is believed that it entered the country as diapausing prepupae in nests in imported timber.[10] This was likely via the ports of Gisborne and Napier.[10] By 2021 it had reached the South Island of New Zealand, and it is expected to spread to the rest of the country, which has a suitable climate for this species.[11]
Behaviour and ecology
The common wasp-mimic bee is solitary, and it has one brood per year.[10] Females construct nests in summer in pre-existing cavities, such as the tunnels made in wood by longhorn beetle larvae.[3] This bee will also nest in man-made cavities, such as drilled timber holes and bamboo canes in bee hotels.[12] The preferred cavity diameter is 6 to 8 millimetres.[13]
Females begin nesting by building a curtain of silk threads over the entrance.[3] The threads are made from a cellophane-like material secreted by the bee.[3] The threads are attached to the walls of the hole, but are free in the centre allowing the female to easily move through.[7] This curtain is probably a visual deterrent to parasitoid insects.[7] The female can often be seen resting behind the curtain with only her antennae protruding through.[3]
After constructing the curtain, she creates a series of brood cells using more of the waterproof cellophane-like material.[3] Each cell is half-filled with a provision of nectar and pollen, and an egg is laid upon each provision.[3] The females of this species carry the pollen internally, as they lack the external pollen-carrying structures of many other bees.[10] Up to eight cells may be provisioned and closed before the female seals the entire nest with a solid wall to protect against predators.[3]
The larvae consume the provisions and pupate, emerging as adults the following spring.[10] In Australia, adults can be seen from October to March (based on records from the Sydney region).[3] In New Zealand the adults are most active from November to March.[10]
The common wasp-mimic bee has been recorded visiting a wide range of flowers, including those from the following genera; Angophora, Callistemon, Eucalyptus, Lophostemon, Banksia, Daviesia, Jacksonia, Melaleuca, Brachychiton, Eremophila, Lambertia, Persoonia, Pultenaea, Leucospermum, Saponaria, Chrysanthemum, Tecoma, Bursaria, Foeniculum and Acmena.[10] It tends to forage on flowers slower than honeybees and wasps, which helps to distinguish it in flight.[14]
Males are known to form roosting aggregations on branches or twigs.[15] Females can sting, but they are not aggressive, and will only sting humans if pressed against the skin.[10]
In culture
This was one of four species featured in a set of native bee postage stamps, which were available from Australia Post in 2019.[16]
References
- ↑ "ITIS - Report: Hyleoides concinna". https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=755374#null.
- ↑ Fabricius, Johann Christian; Fabricius, Johann Christian (1775). Systema entomologiae : sistens insectorvm classes, ordines, genera, species, adiectis synonymis, locis, descriptionibvs, observationibvs. Flensbvrgi et Lipsiae: In Officina Libraria Kortii. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/82400.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 Dollin, Anne; Batley, Michael; Robinson, Martyn; Faulkner, Brian (2017). Native Bees of the Sydney Region (3rd ed.). Australian Native Bee Research Centre. pp. 36, 61,64. ISBN 9781876307233.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Walker, Ken (19 September 2012). "Hyleoides concinna". https://www.padil.gov.au/pollinators/pest/138901.
- ↑ "Wasp Mimic Bee (Hyleoides concinna)". https://www.aussiebee.com.au/hyleoides_concinna.html.
- ↑ DACC (2022-02-18). "After Cook landed on Australia's east coast, severe casualties in Batavia - 1770" (in en-US). https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/archive/dutch-australian-history/maritime-history/video-the-city-of-jakarta-batavia-before-1935-tempo-doeloe-jakarta-2/.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Houston, Terry (2018). A Guide to Native Bees of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. pp. 159–161. ISBN 9781486304066.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Common Wasp-mimic Bee" (in en). https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/common-wasp-mimic-bee/.
- ↑ "Sydney hylaeine bees". https://michaelbatley.github.io/Bee-ID-SH/concinna.htm.
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 Donovan, B. (1983-01-01). "Occurrence of the Australian Bee Hyleoides Concinna (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) in New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology 10 (4): 345–348. doi:10.1080/03014223.1983.10423929. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/bee_lab_da/199.
- ↑ Ridden, Johnathon (2022). "First South Island record of the common wasp-bee mimic (Hyleoides concinna) (Fabricuis, 1775)" (in en). The Wētā 55: 77–80. https://weta.ento.org.nz/index.php/weta/article/view/396.
- ↑ "Bee Hotel Guide - Native Bee Visitors". https://www.aussiebee.com.au/bee-hotel-native-bee-visitors.html.
- ↑ Mitchell, Abbie. "THE SUPER POLLINATORS – Incursion" (in en-AU). https://kidsconnectingnature.com.au/the-super-pollinators-incursion-or-virtual-2/.
- ↑ Fordham, R. A. (1989-01-01). "Further New Zealand records of the new immigrant Australian bee Hyleoides concinna (Hymenoptera: Colletidae; Hylaeinae)". New Zealand Entomologist 12 (1): 65–67. doi:10.1080/00779962.1989.9722568. ISSN 0077-9962. Bibcode: 1989NZEnt..12...65F. https://doi.org/10.1080/00779962.1989.9722568.
- ↑ "Phil Bendle Collection:Bee (Wasp mimic bee) Hyleoides concinna - CitSciHub". https://citscihub.nz/Phil_Bendle_Collection:Bee_(Wasp_mimic_bee)_Hyleoides_concinna.
- ↑ "Native Bees" (in en). https://australiapostcollectables.com.au/stamp-issues/native-bees.
Wikidata ☰ Q3356996 entry
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