Holcopasites
Calliopsis Cuckoo Bee
In Minnesota, there is one described species within the genus Holcopasites —Holcopasites calliopsidis. This cleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bee has one host, Calliopsis andreniformis, a ground-nesting mining bee. Holcopasites calliopsidis occurs in the same habitat as its host, specifically, sites with well-drained compacted soil and an abundance of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. With the host often nesting in large aggregations, Holcopasites calliopsidis females commonly perch on the ground or on plants, near or in the nesting aggregation, to monitor the activity of the host's nests.
This very tiny species is 5-6 mm (0.2-0.23") in length and visits flat flowers or flowers with shallow nectaries such as Achillea millefolium (common yarrow). Holcopasites calliopsidis has orange eyes, a black head and thorax with white hairs, and a rusty-red abdomen with white spots. This cuckoo bee has an unique way of holding its wings—along the side of its abdomen—rather than upward or folded over the top of the abdomen.
Holcopasites calliopsidis male visiting Achillea millefolium.
wing
position
on flowers
1
no. species
in mn
size range
Phenology
Genus/Species Characteristics
NatureServe State Conservation Status
Black head and thorax. Rusty-red abdomen with white spots. No pollen-collecting structures on hind leg.
female
A Holcopasites calliopsidis female perches on the ground and peers into a Calliopsis andreniformis nest.
marginal cell
1
2
Forewing marginal cell with rounded tip; 1st submarginal cell much larger than 2nd.
Wings held along side of abdomen; orange eyes. Antennae set low on face.
Distribution
Minnesota
Portman et al (2023)
Additional
Records
Regional Map
Holcopasites calliopsidis subsp. calliopsidis in GBIF Secretariat (2023). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-20.
Nesting aggregation of Calliopsis andreniformis, also the habitat of Holcopasites calliopsis.
Habitat
Holcopasites calliopsidis occurs where its host, Calliopsis andreniformis, nests. This ground-nesting bee prefers to nest in compacted well-drained soil such as in earthen footpaths, edges of sandy openings, or similar sites.
While monitoring Calliopsis andreniformis ground nests, Holcopasites calliopsidis females perch on low vegetation. They hold their wings along the side of their abdomen, rather than upward or folded over the top of the abdomen.
Behavior
Plant
Associations
Achillea millefolium
(common yarrow)
​
Rudbeckia hirta
(black-eyed Susan)
Erigeron spp.
(fleabane)
​​
Explore More Apidae Genera
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Apidae
Bumble, digger, longhorn, squash, carpenter bees
and allies
Citations and Further Reading
Droege, S., Shumar, S., & Maffei, C. (2024). The Very Handy Bee Manual (2.0). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12812755
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
Joel Gardner CC BY-ND-NC 1.0 (Melittidae)
Steve Mlodinow CC BY-NC 4.0 (Brachymelecta)
Michelle Orcutt CC-BY-NC 4.0​ (Epimelissodes female)