Family Megachilidae > Genus Heriades
Heriades
Small Resin Bees
In Minnesota, there are three described species within the genus Heriades. Bees in this genus have aboveground solitary nests in plant stems or pre-existing cavities in wood. The brood cells are partitioned and lined with plant resins. Two of three species (H. leavitti and H. variolosa) that occur in Minnesota are pollen specialists. Heriades carinata is the most commonly observed species, followed by H. variolosa and lastly, H. leavitti.
Heriades are small black bees with heavily pitted integuments (resembling the surface of a golf ball), particularly on the thorax. The head and thorax are black with no markings, and the abdomen has thin white hair bands on the rims (apex) of the tergites (abdominal segments). The base (area closest to the head) on the first tergite has a concave depression edged with a carina (rim). Both males and females have a curling (concave) abdomen. Females collect pollen on hairs on the underside of their abdomen. Bees in this genus range in length from 4 to 9 mm (0.15 to 0.35 inches).
A Heriades female visiting Asclepias incarnata.
wing
position
on flowers
N0. species in MN
3
size range
Phenology
Genus Characteristics
Small black bee with heavily pitted integument.
Females with pollen collecting hairs on the underside of their abdomen.
female
Male abdomen curls downward.
male
female
Black integument with thin white apical bands on the rims of the tergites. Female abdomen concave.
Heriades Species in Minnesota
Scientific Name | Likely Lecty | Host |
|---|---|---|
Heriades carinata | polylectic | |
Heriades leavitti | oligolectic | various Asteraceae (Arduser) |
Heriades variolosa | oligolectic | Asteraceae (Gibbs 2023), various Asteraceae (Arduser) |
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Bee Species List (August 2023).
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/mcbs/mn-statewide-bee-list.pdf
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Note: Two genera/species on the state list are not included in this guide: Ashmeadiella bucconis (last seen in Minnesota in 1949) and Trachusa zebrata (last seen in Minnesota in 1939). If either of these species is rediscovered in the state, they will be added to the guide at that time.
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Citations and Further Reading
Droege, S., et al. (2024). The Very Handy Bee Manual: 2.0. How to Catch and Identify Bees and Manage a Collection.
Gibbs, J., Hanuschuk, E., Miller, R., Dubois, M., Martini, M., Robinson, S., ... & Onuferko, T. M. (2023). A checklist of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Manitoba, Canada. The Canadian Entomologist, 155, e3.
Mitchell, T. B. (1960). Bees of the eastern United States. Technical Bulletin No. 141. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station.
Portman, Z. M., Gardner, J., Lane, I. G., Gerjets, N., Petersen, J. D., Ascher, J. S., ... & Cariveau, D. P. (2023). A checklist of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Minnesota. Zootaxa, 5304(1), 1-95.
Wilson, J. S., & Messinger Carril, O. J. (2016). The bees in your backyard: a guide to North America's bees. Princeton University Press.
Page Photography Credits
Heather Holm