Holcopasites

  • Family: Apidae
  • Tribe: Ammobatoidini
  • Approximate # species in region: 2

If you’re not looking for Holcopasites, you might not see them. These very tiny cuckoo bees are easily overlooked, but up close are brightly colored with bold markings. In our region, you are most likely to encounter H. calliopsidis hovering above dry, hard-packed earth where its host campus bees Calliopsis andreniformis are nesting. This genus parasitizes andrenid bees in the subfamily Panurginae and, in our region, may also parasitize Protandrena (Pseudopanurgus).

Species covered:

Scientific NameCommon NamePhenologyHabitatForage
Holcopasites calliopsidisCalliopsis-cuckoo nomad beeJun-AugDry, dusty fields near Calliopsis hostWeedy legumes and asters