ExploreInsects

Melissodes

Melissodes

Melissodes are buzzing bees that love to visit flowers! They help plants grow by spreading pollen while they collect nectar to make honey.

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Melissodes is a medium-sized, often fuzzy bee, frequently sporting bands of black and yellow or brown on its abdomen. Males are easily identified by their distinctively long antennae, which extend nearly the length of their body, unlike most other bees.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderHymenopteraFamilyApidaeGenusMelissodes
Melissodes
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Melissodes

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

2/5 · Low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Each female bee digs her own private burrow in the ground to lay eggs and store pollen.

Males have antennae almost as long as their whole body, earning them the nickname 'long-horned bees'!

Some Melissodes males will sleep inside flowers at night, taking a cozy nap!

They are especially important pollinators for sunflowers and other daisy-family plants.

Special abilities

Ability

Super Sensors

Melissodes males have extra-long antennae that help them detect female pheromones from a distance.

Ability

Pollen Power

Melissodes has a dense fuzzy coat that helps them collect and transport lots of pollen from flowers.

Ability

Deep Drinker

Melissodes can reach nectar in deep flowers because of their long tongues, called proboscises.

Ability

Burrow Builder

Melissodes can dig individual nests in the soil, which helps protect their eggs and food stores.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
15-30 mm
Size
7-15 mm
Lifespan
30-90 days
Flight Speed
15 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

Melissodes bees fuel up on sweet nectar and gather protein-rich pollen from various flowers.

Primary Foods

  • Nectar
  • Pollen
  • Sunflowers
  • Asters
  • Goldenrod
  • Coneflowers

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

pollinates

Common Sunflower

Helianthus annuus

Crucial for sunflower seed production.

pollinates

Smooth Blue Aster

Aster laevis

Helps aster plants reproduce.

eaten by

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Birds can catch foraging bees.

parasitizes

Cuckoo Bee

Coelioxys rufitarsis

Lays eggs in Melissodes nests.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

2/5 · Low

Stay calm and still if you see a bee. They usually won't bother you if you don't bother them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Melissodes's wingspan?

15-30 mm

How big is Melissodes?

7-15 mm

How long does Melissodes live?

30-90 days

How fast can Melissodes fly?

15 km/h

What does Melissodes eat?

Melissodes bees fuel up on sweet nectar and gather protein-rich pollen from various flowers.

Where is Melissodes usually found?

Grasslands

How does Melissodes hunt?

Foraging

How many legs does Melissodes have?

6

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