Male Sleeping Aggregation of Melissodes (Ecplectica) nigroaenea (Smith, 1854) (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Eucerini) in Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract

Bee males are sometimes found forming sleeping aggregations on stems of bushes or trees to sleep at night, but there is no complete understanding of the reasons for this behaviour. This note describes the behavior of Melissodes (Ecplectica) nigroaenea (Smith, 1854) males forming temporary sleeping aggregations in dry inflorescences of Bidens pilosa L. The sleeping aggregations of M. nigroaenea were observed for approximately 15 days in an area of Cerrado, Brasília, DF. During the day M. nigroaenea males visit flowers of Cosmos sulphureus Cav. near the sleeping aggregations, where the females collect pollen. In the late afternoon, the males return to the sleeping aggregations, where they sleep at night. These data provide new information about the behavior of M. nigroaenea males.

Keywords

• bees
• dormitory
• night shelter
• solitary bees.