Perdita (genus)
Encyclopedia
Perdita is a large genus of bee
s native to North America, particularly diverse in the desert regions of the United States
and Mexico
. There are over 700 recognized species and subspecies of Perdita, plus some 200 more as yet unnamed. Perdita are usually quite small (2.0 mm to 10.0 mm) and often brightly colored with metallic reflections and/or yellow or white markings. The genus was extensively treated by P.H. Timberlake
who, in addition to T.D.A. Cockerell
, described most of the known species. Most species are extreme specialists (oligoleges) with respect to pollen and will only collect pollen from a few closely related species or genera of plants.
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s native to North America, particularly diverse in the desert regions of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. There are over 700 recognized species and subspecies of Perdita, plus some 200 more as yet unnamed. Perdita are usually quite small (2.0 mm to 10.0 mm) and often brightly colored with metallic reflections and/or yellow or white markings. The genus was extensively treated by P.H. Timberlake
Philip H. Timberlake
Philip Hunter Timberlake was one of the most prolific American entomologists of the 20th century. He was born on June 5, 1883 in Bethel, Maine, and died in 1981 in Riverside, California, where he had served as an Associate Entomologist in the Department of Entomology of the University of...
who, in addition to T.D.A. Cockerell
Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell
Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell was an American zoologist, born at Norwood, England, and brother of Sydney Cockerell. He was educated at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, and then studied botany in the field in Colorado in 1887-90...
, described most of the known species. Most species are extreme specialists (oligoleges) with respect to pollen and will only collect pollen from a few closely related species or genera of plants.