Family Sphecidae. Subfamily Sphecinae. Tribe: Sphecini
© Super MongooseVaalkop Dam Nature Reserve, North West Province
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Links:
https://www.waspweb.org/Apoidea/Sphecid ... /index.htm
AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Hymenoptera)
Moderator: Klipspringer
AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Hymenoptera)
Sphecine Digger Wasp Sphex sp.
Family Sphecidae. Subfamily Sphecinae. Tribe: Sphecini
© Super Mongoose
Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve, North West Province
Links:
https://www.waspweb.org/Apoidea/Sphecid ... /index.htm
Family Sphecidae. Subfamily Sphecinae. Tribe: Sphecini
© Super MongooseVaalkop Dam Nature Reserve, North West Province
Links:
https://www.waspweb.org/Apoidea/Sphecid ... /index.htm
Hymenoptera Apoidea Apidae
Family Apidae (Honey Bees, Sweat Bees, Cuckoo Bees, Digger Bees, Carpenter Bees)
Apidae are small (body length 2-6 mm), except for the Honey Bee. Identifiable by fringe of hairs around smooth, concave pollen basket on hind tibiae. All species in the region are truly social, with distinct castes and division of labour. Nests are made predominantly from wax or a combination of wax and resin and are built in existing cavities.
The Apidae is one of two long-tongued bee families that occur in Africa, the other is the Megachilidae. It is very diverse. Within the long-tongued bees, the scopa on the hind leg and the male tergum 7 not largely concealed ventrally are diagnostic; parasitic genera, however, pose a challenge. Characters unique to Apidae, but not occurring in all Apidae are: a long antennal flagellum; pale yellow stripes adjacent to the eye; a corbicula; a sickle-shaped hind tibial spur; a pseudopygidium on tergum 5; a posteromedial concavity on sternum 5. The best way to identify this family is by excluding the short-tongued bees and the Megachilidae. As the parasitic genera do not have a scopa, the females are more difficult identify.
Diagnostic Characters:
Long-tongued (Labial palp with basal two segments long, apical two segments short).
Female scopa on hind leg, except cleptoparasitic species; male metasoma more or less straight; one, two or three submarginal cells; labrum mostly wider than long.
Distribution
Worldwide. They occur in all habitat types in Africa.
Diversity
The Apidae are currently represented by three subfamilies in South Africa:
Apinae
Nomadininae
Xylocopinae
Biology
Provision the nest with pollen and nectar. The Apidae have diverse biologies. They bore nests in the wood (carpenter bees), tunnel in the ground (Anthophorini) and use existing cavities (Meliponini and Apini). Most are solitary, but a number of different types of sociality occur: ranging from semi-social to eusocial (sociality also occurs in Halictini, but eusociality is unique to the Apidae in bees). There are no daubers. Parasitism includes social parasites, where the parasite replaces the queen of the host nest to provision its own cells.
Apidae are small (body length 2-6 mm), except for the Honey Bee. Identifiable by fringe of hairs around smooth, concave pollen basket on hind tibiae. All species in the region are truly social, with distinct castes and division of labour. Nests are made predominantly from wax or a combination of wax and resin and are built in existing cavities.
The Apidae is one of two long-tongued bee families that occur in Africa, the other is the Megachilidae. It is very diverse. Within the long-tongued bees, the scopa on the hind leg and the male tergum 7 not largely concealed ventrally are diagnostic; parasitic genera, however, pose a challenge. Characters unique to Apidae, but not occurring in all Apidae are: a long antennal flagellum; pale yellow stripes adjacent to the eye; a corbicula; a sickle-shaped hind tibial spur; a pseudopygidium on tergum 5; a posteromedial concavity on sternum 5. The best way to identify this family is by excluding the short-tongued bees and the Megachilidae. As the parasitic genera do not have a scopa, the females are more difficult identify.
Diagnostic Characters:
Long-tongued (Labial palp with basal two segments long, apical two segments short).
Female scopa on hind leg, except cleptoparasitic species; male metasoma more or less straight; one, two or three submarginal cells; labrum mostly wider than long.
Distribution
Worldwide. They occur in all habitat types in Africa.
Diversity
The Apidae are currently represented by three subfamilies in South Africa:
Apinae
Nomadininae
Xylocopinae
Biology
Provision the nest with pollen and nectar. The Apidae have diverse biologies. They bore nests in the wood (carpenter bees), tunnel in the ground (Anthophorini) and use existing cavities (Meliponini and Apini). Most are solitary, but a number of different types of sociality occur: ranging from semi-social to eusocial (sociality also occurs in Halictini, but eusociality is unique to the Apidae in bees). There are no daubers. Parasitism includes social parasites, where the parasite replaces the queen of the host nest to provision its own cells.
Hymenoptera Apoidea Apidae Apinae
Subfamily Apinae
The Apinae comprises 16 genera in six tribes:
Anthophorini
Apini
Ctenoplectrini
Eucerini
Melectini
Meliponini
They cannot be defined by a few distinctive characters, neither morphological nor behavioural.
There are social species, cleptoparasites, robbers, oil collectors and pollen collectors, including all the corbiculate (pollen basket) bees.
The Apinae comprises 16 genera in six tribes:
Anthophorini
Apini
Ctenoplectrini
Eucerini
Melectini
Meliponini
They cannot be defined by a few distinctive characters, neither morphological nor behavioural.
There are social species, cleptoparasites, robbers, oil collectors and pollen collectors, including all the corbiculate (pollen basket) bees.
Hymenoptera Apoidea Apidae Apinae Anthophorini
Tribe Anthophorini
Anthophorini are large, hairy bees; solitary, ground nesting, pollen collectors.
There are three genera.
Genus Amegilla : Amegilla has one subgenus with 71 species. They are widespread, common and visit flowers of a large variety of plants. Amegilla bees are about 10-12mm in length with a golden brown head, and the abdomen is striped black and pale blue. Bands may differ with the sex, males having more bands (usually 5) than females (usually 4). Males rest overnight by clinging to plant stems. The female of each species can sting but are not aggressive. Amegilla bees carry their pollen between hairs on the hind legs, whereas in honey bees the hind leg has a smooth spoon-shaped area onto which the pollen is glued. Amegilla bees are solitary, nesting in burrows in the soil, soft sandstone, old mortar or even mud bricks. Different species nest in different soil types.
Genus Anthophora : Anthophora has three subgenera (Heliophila, Paramegilla and Pyganthophora) with a total of 54 species. They are widespread and fairly common.
Genus Pachymelus : Pachymelus are large bees. Bigger than the average Anthophora or Amegilla. There are two subgenera. The subgenus Pachymelus (Pachymelopsis) is wide spread in southern and East Africa. There are four species.
Thr subgenus Pachymelus is mostly Madagascan (18 species), except for one species Pachymelus peringueyi that occurs near the west coast of South Africa.
Anthophorini are large, hairy bees; solitary, ground nesting, pollen collectors.
There are three genera.
Genus Amegilla : Amegilla has one subgenus with 71 species. They are widespread, common and visit flowers of a large variety of plants. Amegilla bees are about 10-12mm in length with a golden brown head, and the abdomen is striped black and pale blue. Bands may differ with the sex, males having more bands (usually 5) than females (usually 4). Males rest overnight by clinging to plant stems. The female of each species can sting but are not aggressive. Amegilla bees carry their pollen between hairs on the hind legs, whereas in honey bees the hind leg has a smooth spoon-shaped area onto which the pollen is glued. Amegilla bees are solitary, nesting in burrows in the soil, soft sandstone, old mortar or even mud bricks. Different species nest in different soil types.
Genus Anthophora : Anthophora has three subgenera (Heliophila, Paramegilla and Pyganthophora) with a total of 54 species. They are widespread and fairly common.
Genus Pachymelus : Pachymelus are large bees. Bigger than the average Anthophora or Amegilla. There are two subgenera. The subgenus Pachymelus (Pachymelopsis) is wide spread in southern and East Africa. There are four species.
Thr subgenus Pachymelus is mostly Madagascan (18 species), except for one species Pachymelus peringueyi that occurs near the west coast of South Africa.
Hymenoptera Apoidea Apidae Apinae Anthophorini
Banded Bee sp. possibly Amegilla calens
Family: Apidae. Subfamily: Apinae. Tribe: Anthophorini
© BluTuna
© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg
Till recently the genus Amegilla was regarded as belonging to the family Anthophoridae, but recently the family Apidae was extended and now includes all the genera that were previously classified in the family Anthophoridae.
Amegilla bees do not produce honey but are important pollinators of crops and wild plants. Amegilla bees, often known as banded bees because of their characteristic striped abdomens are medium-sized bees (10-12 mm in length) with a golden brown head. Bands may differ with the sex, males having more bands (usually 5) than females (usually 4). Males rest overnight by clinging to plant stems. They live independently of others (i.e. they are solitary) and nest in burrows in the soil, soft sandstone, old mortar or even mud bricks. Amegilla bees carry their pollen between hairs on the hind legs, whereas in honey bees the hind leg has a smooth spoon-shaped area onto which the pollen is glued.
Description
Throughout its range it shows a considerable amount of variation.
Distribution
Amegilla calens is widely distributed in Africa: Botswana, Mozambique , Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe.
Links: Ecoport
Family: Apidae. Subfamily: Apinae. Tribe: Anthophorini
© BluTuna © BluTunaGarden in Johannesburg
Till recently the genus Amegilla was regarded as belonging to the family Anthophoridae, but recently the family Apidae was extended and now includes all the genera that were previously classified in the family Anthophoridae.
Amegilla bees do not produce honey but are important pollinators of crops and wild plants. Amegilla bees, often known as banded bees because of their characteristic striped abdomens are medium-sized bees (10-12 mm in length) with a golden brown head. Bands may differ with the sex, males having more bands (usually 5) than females (usually 4). Males rest overnight by clinging to plant stems. They live independently of others (i.e. they are solitary) and nest in burrows in the soil, soft sandstone, old mortar or even mud bricks. Amegilla bees carry their pollen between hairs on the hind legs, whereas in honey bees the hind leg has a smooth spoon-shaped area onto which the pollen is glued.
Description
Throughout its range it shows a considerable amount of variation.
Distribution
Amegilla calens is widely distributed in Africa: Botswana, Mozambique , Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe.
Links: Ecoport
Hunting cannot be considered a sport as all contestants in a sport should know they are playing the game!
Hymenoptera Apoidea Apidae Apinae Anthophorini
Banded Bee sp. possibly Amegilla capensis
Family: Apidae. Subfamily: Apinae. Tribe: Anthophorini
© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg
Distribution
Angola, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
Links: Discover Life, Ecoport
Family: Apidae. Subfamily: Apinae. Tribe: Anthophorini
© BluTunaGarden in Johannesburg
Distribution
Angola, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
Links: Discover Life, Ecoport
Hunting cannot be considered a sport as all contestants in a sport should know they are playing the game!
Hymenoptera Apoidea Apidae Apinae Apini
Tribe Apini
Apini are the honey bees. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus Apis. They occur through much of the Old World. Five species occur in Asia and one in both Europe and Africa, although Apis florea Fabricius intrudes into North Africa. They are all social, pollen collectors and have vertical comb. Much has been written about their social biology and methods of communications. They are very important to agriculture as pollinators and honey producers.
The Apini is represented in Africa by two species. One is the honey bee or Apis mellifera Linnaeus. There are, however, a number of subspecies. They occur throughout Africa. They are commonly kept in hives (keeping honey bees is called apiculture) for honey production and pollination. The other species, Apis florea, is only known from parts of North-East Africa.
Apini are the honey bees. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus Apis. They occur through much of the Old World. Five species occur in Asia and one in both Europe and Africa, although Apis florea Fabricius intrudes into North Africa. They are all social, pollen collectors and have vertical comb. Much has been written about their social biology and methods of communications. They are very important to agriculture as pollinators and honey producers.
The Apini is represented in Africa by two species. One is the honey bee or Apis mellifera Linnaeus. There are, however, a number of subspecies. They occur throughout Africa. They are commonly kept in hives (keeping honey bees is called apiculture) for honey production and pollination. The other species, Apis florea, is only known from parts of North-East Africa.
Hymenoptera Apoidea Apidae Apinae Apini
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Family: Apidae. Subfamily Apinae. Tribe: Apini
© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg
Drone, Nelspruit © Richprins
Apis mellifera has a worldwide (native to Old World, but introduced to New World: North & South America). In South Africa two subspecies are found.
Apis mellifera scutellata African Honey Bee
Distribution
Native to Central and Southern Africa, but introduced to New World: North & South America (Africanized or Killer bees).
Biology
Social, constructing multiple wax combs for storage of pollen and honey and raising brood. The African bee is being threatened by the introduction of the Cape honey bee into northern South Africa. If a female worker from a Cape honey bee colony enters an African bee nest, she is not attacked, partly due to her resemblance to the African bee queen. Now independent from her own colony, she may begin laying eggs, and since A. m. capensis workers are capable of parthenogenetic reproduction, they will hatch as "clones" of herself, which will also lay eggs. As a result the parasitic A. m. capensis workers increase in number within a host colony. This leads to the death of the host colony on which they depend.
Apis mellifera capensis Cape Honey Bee
Distribution
South Africa (winter rainfall areas in the Western & Eastern Cape Provinces). The Cape honeybee occurs in the fynbos biome along the southwest and south coasts of South Africa extending into the interior as far as the mountains bordering on the Klein Karoo. From here it hybridizes with A. m. scutellata to the next mountain ranges near latitude 32 where hybrids fall away.
Workers of the Cape honey bee Apis mellifera capensis started to parasitize the African honey bee A. m. scutellata after being introduced into Gauteng
.
Biology
Social, constructing multiple wax combs for storage of pollen and honey and raising brood. Nests in existing cavities. The Cape honey bee invades and takes over colonies of the African honey bee Apis mellifera scutellata. They are unique among honey bee subspecies because workers can lay diploid, female eggs, while workers of other subspecies (and, in fact, unmated females of virtually all other eusocial insects) can only lay haploid, male eggs.
Links: WaspWeb - Apis mellifera capensis; Wikipedia: African Bee; Featured Creatures: Cape honey bee; WaspWeb - Apis mellifera scutellata; SANBI
Family: Apidae. Subfamily Apinae. Tribe: Apini
© BluTunaGarden in Johannesburg
Apis mellifera has a worldwide (native to Old World, but introduced to New World: North & South America). In South Africa two subspecies are found.
Apis mellifera scutellata African Honey Bee
Distribution
Native to Central and Southern Africa, but introduced to New World: North & South America (Africanized or Killer bees).
Biology
Social, constructing multiple wax combs for storage of pollen and honey and raising brood. The African bee is being threatened by the introduction of the Cape honey bee into northern South Africa. If a female worker from a Cape honey bee colony enters an African bee nest, she is not attacked, partly due to her resemblance to the African bee queen. Now independent from her own colony, she may begin laying eggs, and since A. m. capensis workers are capable of parthenogenetic reproduction, they will hatch as "clones" of herself, which will also lay eggs. As a result the parasitic A. m. capensis workers increase in number within a host colony. This leads to the death of the host colony on which they depend.
Apis mellifera capensis Cape Honey Bee
Distribution
South Africa (winter rainfall areas in the Western & Eastern Cape Provinces). The Cape honeybee occurs in the fynbos biome along the southwest and south coasts of South Africa extending into the interior as far as the mountains bordering on the Klein Karoo. From here it hybridizes with A. m. scutellata to the next mountain ranges near latitude 32 where hybrids fall away.
Workers of the Cape honey bee Apis mellifera capensis started to parasitize the African honey bee A. m. scutellata after being introduced into Gauteng
.Biology
Social, constructing multiple wax combs for storage of pollen and honey and raising brood. Nests in existing cavities. The Cape honey bee invades and takes over colonies of the African honey bee Apis mellifera scutellata. They are unique among honey bee subspecies because workers can lay diploid, female eggs, while workers of other subspecies (and, in fact, unmated females of virtually all other eusocial insects) can only lay haploid, male eggs.
Links: WaspWeb - Apis mellifera capensis; Wikipedia: African Bee; Featured Creatures: Cape honey bee; WaspWeb - Apis mellifera scutellata; SANBI
Hunting cannot be considered a sport as all contestants in a sport should know they are playing the game!
Hymenoptera Apoidea Apidae Apinae Melectini
Tribe Melectini
The Melectini are cleptoparasitic; laying their eggs in other bees provisioned cells. Melectini bees lack a scopa, and the second abscissa of vein M + Cu of the hind wing is shorter than the oblique cu-v and sometimes almost absent. The marginal cell of the Melectini is rounded apically, and in the commonest genera scarcely if at all exceeds the last submarginal cell.
Genus Afromelecta Lieftinck: Afromelecta comprises two subgenera (Acanthomelecta and Afromelecta) and three species. The subgenus Afromelecta (Acanthomelecta) Lieftinck is only known from Afromelecta bicuspis (Stadelmann) that occurs in Tanzania. The subgenus Afromelecta Lieftinck, Afromelecta sebsu strictu (Afromelecta) has two species that occur along the eastern region of Africa.
Genus Thyreus Panzer: The bee genus Thyreus Panzer (Apinae: Melectini) comprises approximately 109 described species of distinctive cuckoo bees, cleptoparasitic largely on species of Amegilla Friese (Anthophorini). The genus is distributed widely in the Old World from southern Africa and Madagascar, broadly across Europe and Asia, and into Australia. There are 40 species in sub-Saharan Africa. They often have pale blue vestiture (white in some species), which is metallic in some tropical species.
The Melectini are cleptoparasitic; laying their eggs in other bees provisioned cells. Melectini bees lack a scopa, and the second abscissa of vein M + Cu of the hind wing is shorter than the oblique cu-v and sometimes almost absent. The marginal cell of the Melectini is rounded apically, and in the commonest genera scarcely if at all exceeds the last submarginal cell.
Genus Afromelecta Lieftinck: Afromelecta comprises two subgenera (Acanthomelecta and Afromelecta) and three species. The subgenus Afromelecta (Acanthomelecta) Lieftinck is only known from Afromelecta bicuspis (Stadelmann) that occurs in Tanzania. The subgenus Afromelecta Lieftinck, Afromelecta sebsu strictu (Afromelecta) has two species that occur along the eastern region of Africa.
Genus Thyreus Panzer: The bee genus Thyreus Panzer (Apinae: Melectini) comprises approximately 109 described species of distinctive cuckoo bees, cleptoparasitic largely on species of Amegilla Friese (Anthophorini). The genus is distributed widely in the Old World from southern Africa and Madagascar, broadly across Europe and Asia, and into Australia. There are 40 species in sub-Saharan Africa. They often have pale blue vestiture (white in some species), which is metallic in some tropical species.
AW Insect Book: Sawflies Wasps Bees Ants Pics & Descriptions
Cuckoo Bee Thyreus sp.
Family: Apidae. Subfamily: Apinae. Tribe: Melectini
There are several similar looking species in this genus.
© ExFmem
© ExFmem
October, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Biology
Parasitizes other bees.
Family: Apidae. Subfamily: Apinae. Tribe: Melectini
There are several similar looking species in this genus.
© ExFmem © ExFmemOctober, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Biology
Parasitizes other bees.