Category: hylaeus
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Hylaeus
Hylaeus are tiny colletid bees that are more wasp-like than bee-like. Their common name (“masked bees”) reflects the strong yellow and white markings often present on their faces – the shape and arrangement of these markings is often helpful for identification. All species nest above ground in cavities and, like all colletids, they line their…
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Colletidae
Colletids are a diverse group of bees united by their nest building behavior: they line their nests with a thin, waterproof lining akin to cellophane, polyester, or silk. Otherwise, the two genera of colletids in the northeast–Colletes and Hylaeus–could not be more different. Colletes are about 3/4 the size of a honey bee, hairy, have…