''Hylaeus alcyoneus'', commonly known as the banksia bee, is a

bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyly, monophyletic lineage within the ...

species endemic to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

where it is commonly found in the

coastal heath The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...

s of eastern and southern Western Australia. This bee is an important

pollinator A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are the maj ...

of '' Banksia'' species. The banksia bee was originally described by German entomologist Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson in 1842; its specific epithet is derived from the Ancient Greek ''halcyon'' "kingfisher" relating to its kingfisher blue colour. The banksia bee has a metallic blue abdomen and yellow face markings. The sexual dimorphism of this species is notable amongst bees — the males of the species are significantly larger than the females; in most other types of bee, females are larger than males. Males of different sizes have been shown to display different feeding behaviour. Large males perch and defend ''Banksia'' inflorescences that are in high positions on the shrub where they feed; small males feed closer to the ground and patrol circuits including several inflorescences. Displacement of large males from the perches is almost always by an even larger male. Western Australian banksias which the bee has been recorded visiting include ''

Banksia ashbyi ''Banksia ashbyi'', commonly known as Ashby's banksia, is a species of shrub or small tree that is Endemism, endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, grey bark, deeply serrated, hairy leaves and spikes of bright orange flowers. Descriptio ...

'', '' B. coccinea'', '' B. hookeriana'', '' B. ilicifolia'', '' B. menziesii'', '' B. prionotes'', '' B. sessilis'', and '' B. speciosa''. Other species include ''

Allocasuarina campestris ''Allocasuarina campestris'', commonly known as the Shrubby she-oak, is a shrub of the she-oak family Casuarinaceae native to Western Australia. The dioecious or monoecious shrub typically grows to a height of and produces red-brown flowers fro ...

'', ''

Grevillea cagiana ''Grevillea cagiana'', commonly known as red toothbrushes, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with Leaf#Divisions_of_the_blade, simple ...

'', '' G. eriostachya'', ''

Isopogon dubius ''Isopogon dubius'', commonly known as pincushion coneflower, is a species of plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with sharply-pointed, deeply lobed or pinnate leaves and more or l ...

'', and Xanthorrhoea'' species. The Banksia bee faces competition from the introduced European honey bee (''

Apis mellifera The western honey bee or European honey bee (''Apis mellifera'') is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bees worldwide. The genus name ''Apis'' is Latin for "bee", and ''mellifera'' is the Latin for "honey-bearing" or "honey carrying", ...

''). In sites where the species coexist, the Banksia bee has significantly fewer nests that it has on sites where there is no competition. A banksia bee nest consists of several cavities or cells within hollowed pieces of wood. A parent bee places provisions of pollen and nectar in each cell, along with a single egg.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2799202 Colletidae Hymenoptera of Australia Endemic fauna of Australia Insects described in 1842 Taxa named by Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson