About the catalogue

This catalog contains information about the family Colletidae (Hymenoptera: Anthophila), a group with around 2600 described species, widely distributed worldwide, although they find their greatest diversity in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia and South America). It is a rather heterogeneous group of bees, with representatives ranging from large (Diphaglossinae) to medium (Colletinae) and small sizes (Xeromelissinae and Hylaeinae). All species have solitary habits, except for some species of the genus Hylaeus (Nesoprosopis), which are cleptoparasitic. A unique characteristic of the colletids is that they line their brood cells with a substance produced by the mandibular glands, which hardens into a transparent, cellophane-like, impermeable film. Most species build their nests in the ground; however, some groups may build them in stems, soft wood, or pre-existing cavities. Their nests are generally simple, with lateral galleries on which the brood cells are constructed. In this catalog, we provide taxonomic information, geographic distribution, and the most relevant bibliographic references for species present in Argentina and Uruguay. Additionally, for many species, photographs and information about their host plants, observations about their nests, and natural enemies are included. All the information available in this catalog was compiled by the authors using available scientific literature, information from material deposited in the entomological collection of the Museo de La Plata, and their own fieldwork.

This software was made using