Distribution

Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Biology

Provision the nest with pollen and nectar. Recorded visiting flowers of: Acacia karroo, Acacia senegal, Acacia tortilis, Asclepias buchenaviana, Aspilia africana, Berkheya heterophylla, Blepharis capensis, Guiera senegalensis, Justicia sp., Mimosa pigra, Parkia sp., Virectaria multiflora (Eardley & Urban, 2010).

References

Brothers D.J. 1999. Phylogeny and evolution of wasps, ants and bees (Hymenoptera, Chrysidoidea, Vespoidea and Apoidea) Zoologica Scripta 28: 233–250.

Eardley, C & Urban, R. 2010. Catalogue of Afrotropical bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apiformes). Zootaxa 2455: 1-548.

Eardley, C, Finnamore, A.T. & Michener, C.D. 1993. Superfamily Apoidea (pp. 279-357). In GOULET, H. & HUBER, J. (eds). Hymenoptera of the World: an identification guide to families. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 668 pp.

Eardley C.,Kuhlmann M., Pauly A. 2010. The Bee Genera and Subgenera of sub-Saharan Africa. Abc Taxa vol 7: i-vi, 138 pp.

Michener, C.D. 2000. The Bees of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press. 953 pp.

Smith, F. 1853. Catalogue of Hymenopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. London, Part I, Andrenidae and Apidae. 197 pp., pls. I-VI. British Museum, London

Credits

Photographs © Stephen Marshall (University of Guelph).

Map illustration © Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums of South Africa).