''Coelioxys'', common name leaf-cutting cuckoo bees or sharp-tailed bees , is a genus of solitary kleptoparasitic or brood parasitic bees, belonging to the family Megachilidae.

Diversity

The genus includes about 500 species in 15 subgenera.

Selected species

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Coelioxys angulata ''Coelioxys angulata'' is a species of leaf-cutting bee in the genus ''Coelioxys'', of the family Megachilidae Megachilidae is a cosmopolitan family of mostly solitary bees. Both that their pollen-carrying structure (called a ''scopa'') is ...

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Coelioxys apicata ''Coelioxys apicata'' is a species of leaf-cutting bee in the genus ''Coelioxys'', of the family Megachilidae. It is found in South Asia. References * http://www.atlashymenoptera.net/biblio/Karunaratne_et_al_2006_Sri_Lanka.pdf * https://www.aca ...

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Coelioxys capitata ''Coelioxys capitata'' is a species of leaf-cutting bee in the genus ''Coelioxys'', of the family Megachilidae. It is found in India, and recordings from Sri Lanka are uncertain, but considered true. References * http://www.atlashymenoptera.net ...

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Coelioxys fenestrata ''Coelioxys fenestrata'' is a species of leaf-cutting bee in the genus ''Coelioxys'', of the family Megachilidae. It is found in India, and recordings from Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, tran ...

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Coelioxys formosicola ''Coelioxys formosicola'' is a species of leaf-cutting bee in the genus ''Coelioxys'', of the family Megachilidae Megachilidae is a cosmopolitan family of mostly solitary bees. Both that their pollen-carrying structure (called a ''scopa'') ...

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Coelioxys fuscipennis ''Coelioxys fuscipennis'' is a species of leaf-cutting bee in the genus ''Coelioxys'', of the family Megachilidae. It is found in India, and recordings from Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, tra ...

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Coelioxys minuta ''Coelioxys minuta'' is a species of leaf-cutting bee in the genus ''Coelioxys'', of the family Megachilidae. It is found in India, and recordings from Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit ...

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Coelioxys nitidoscutellaris ''Coelioxys nitidoscutellaris'' is a species of leaf-cutting bee in the genus ''Coelioxys'', of the family Megachilidae. It is found in South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and e ...

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Coelioxys rufitarsis ''Coelioxys rufitarsis'', common name red-legged cuckoo leafcutter bee, is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It is native to North America.Mitchell, T.B. 1962Bees of the Eastern United States.North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Sta ...

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Coelioxys sodalis ''Coelioxys sodalis'' is a bee from the family Megachilidae, one of numerous kleptoparasitic bees in the tribe ''Megachilini''. Members of the genus ''Coelioxys'' exhibit kleptoparasitic behavior in that they lay their eggs in the nests of oth ...

'' For a complete list, see List of ''Coelioxys'' species.

Distribution

''Coelioxys'' species can be found in most European countries, in the

Afrotropical realm The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the island ...

, in the East Palearctic realm, in North Africa, in the Nearctic and Neotropics.

Description

Bees within this genus can reach a length of . They show a broad head with large complex eyes and broad thorax and abdomen. Their body is only moderately hairy. They are usually black with white hair stripes. Legs maybe red or black. The females of ''Coelioxys'' species have a long pointed abdomen that resembles a cone, used to pierce the leaf lining in the laying of eggs. The male's abdomen is armed with spines or teeth. They are known to sometimes sleep upside down on vegetation.

Biology

These cuckoo bees are usually active from June to September, depending on the specific host species. They have no pollen-carrying adaptations, as they do not need to provision nests. Adults feed on nectar at flowers of a wide range of different nectar plants. In fact they mainly lay their eggs in the nests of bees in the genus '' Megachile'', but also in the nests of ''

Osmia Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named for their habit of using mud or other "masonry" products in constructing their nests, which are made in naturally ...

'' and '' Anthophora'', on their provisions of pollen. As this behavior is similar to that of cuckoos, such bees are sometimes referred to as "cuckoo bees". These host-parasite relationships are quite complex. The larvae of ''Coelioxys'' species kill the host larvae with their strongly developed mandibles and feed on the host's pollen provisions. They spin a cocoon at 11–16 days. These species are usually univoltine, but for some species a second generation is possible.

Gallery

File:Coelioxys rufescens.JPG, ''Coelioxys rufescens'' File:Female Coelioxys on Carlina curetum 1.JPG, ''Coelioxys acanthura'' File:Coelioxys inermis f.jpg, ''Coelioxys inermis'' File:Coelioxys sodalis, F, side, Maine, Hancock County 2013-03-15-14.19.27 ZS PMax (8593895542).jpg, ''

References

* Baker, J. R. 1975. Taxonomy of five nearctic subgenera of Coelioxys (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 50: 649–730.

External links

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