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Thyreus cleptoparasite bee

Thyreus ramosus

Published on Project Noah
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39.3612, 22.9721

Field Notes

Description:

A beautiful black and white bee of the Thyreus genus, the Thyreus ramosus. According to wiki, Thyreus is an Old World genus of bees, one of many that are commonly known as cuckoo bees, and are cleptoparasites of other species of bees, mostly in the genus Amegilla.
The pictured bee was spotted and photographed very early in the morning, while it was still asleep, standing on a dry asphodelus stem. I only snapped the pics whithout disturbing it.
Spotted in an empty field/prairie with low vegetation, in Nea Demetrias, Volos city, Greece.

Reference Links:

Thyreus ramosus - Information on Thyreus ramosus, Thyreus, http://www.atlashymenoptera.net/page.asp?id=258

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (12)
DespinaTsafetopoulou
Thank you so much for the nomination dear @AshleyT , dear PN rangers and fellow PN spotters! I'm thrilled!
AshleyT
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
DespinaTsafetopoulou
Thank you dear @DanielePralong, I'll add my little beautiful bee in this mission asap :D
DanielePralong
Despina, here's another global mission which is suitable for this spotting: https://www.projectnoah.org/missions/9004348
DespinaTsafetopoulou
Dear @arlanda, as far as I know, there are 4 subspecies of the apis mellifera in Greece, 28 species of bubblebees, and I dont think there is a full list with all the solitary bee species... Unfortunately I cannot post this spotting in the international pollinators mission, since the bee was not on a flower but on a dry stem - I was repeatedly suggested to not use the mission for no foraging insects :/
DespinaTsafetopoulou
Dear @Mark Ridgway, as I found out, these little bees use to rest in that particular position; I found several pics in internet as I was searching for the correct species...
arlanda
Solitary bees are very important as pollinating insects. As an example, in the UK alone there are 267 species of bees: a single honeybee species, 24 species of bumblebees, and around 225 species of solitary bees. Solitary bees differ from honeybees and bumblebees in not being social insects.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
WILD Cities: Urban Biodiversity
Mission
Biodiversity of Greece (Hellas)
Mission
Hymenoptera of the world -- bees, ants and all their friends
Mission
2015 Best Wildlife Photo

Tags

Photographed
PublishedOctober 16, 2015

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