Melissodes

  • Family: Apidae
  • Tribe: Eucerini
  • Approximate # species in region: 12
  • Common name: longhorn bees

It can be tricky to get a good look at a Melissodes–males rarely stop for long on flowers and females forage for pollen quite energetically. Luckily, males always have very long antennae and females, despite having short antennae, have big brushes of scopal hairs on their hind legs, earning them the affectionate name of chap-legged bees. Melissodes nest in the ground and, in our region, are active in our region from early summer through fall.

Species covered:

Species requiring accounts:

  • Melissodes denticulatus
  • Melissodes dentiventris
  • Melissodes comptoides