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Bees of Zihuatanejo

EPIFAMILY ANTHOPHILA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)

-Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees (Suborder Apocrita)

-Ants, Bees, and Stinging Wasps (Infraorder Aculeata)

-Bees and Apoid Wasps (Superfamily Apoidea)

-Bees (Epifamily Anthophila)

-​Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, and Allies (Family Apidae)

-Apine Bees (Subfamily Apinae)​

-Orchid Bees (Tribe Euglossini)

-Typical Orchid Bees (Genus Euglossa)


They are known for their vibrant metallic colors, often exhibiting shades of green, blue, or bronze. Their bodies are usually covered in fine hairs that help in pollen collection. These bees are known for their unique foraging behavior. Males are especially attracted to fragrant substances, which they collect from various sources such as flowers, rotting fruit, and even human-made products. They store these scents in hind leg pouches. Orchid bees are essential pollinators for many tropical orchids and other plants.



Euglossa Orchid Bees

Euglossa (Genus)

Range

  • The genus Euglossa is distributed from Mexico through Central America, the Caribbean, and throughout much of South America to Brazil, Bolivia, and northern Argentina.

  • Numerous species occur throughout Mexico, including the Pacific coast of Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo region.

  • Most species inhabit tropical and subtropical forests.

Habitat

  • Inhabits tropical dry forests, tropical rainforests, cloud forests, secondary forests, woodland edges, mangroves, orchards, and gardens.

  • Females nest in hollow twigs, tree cavities, abandoned beetle burrows, rock crevices, and other natural cavities, constructing brood cells from resin, wax, and plant fibres.

  • Adults are commonly found wherever flowering plants are abundant.

Behaviour

  • Solitary, with each female building and provisioning her own nest.

  • Active during the day, visiting a wide variety of flowers while collecting nectar and pollen.

  • Males collect fragrant compounds from orchids, flowers, fungi, tree sap, and even decaying wood, storing the perfumes in specialized chambers on their enlarged hind legs.

  • During elaborate courtship displays, males release these collected fragrances to attract females.

  • Strong, agile fliers capable of travelling several kilometres in search of flowers and scent sources.

Size

  • Body length: 8–18 mm (0.3–0.7 in), depending on the species.

  • Males are often more brightly coloured than females.

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