Hylaeus communis is a Palearctic species of solitary bee.[1][2]

Hylaeus communis
Hylaeus communis, Fenn's Moss, North Wales
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Colletidae
Subfamily: Hylaeinae
Genus: Hylaeus
Species:
H. communis
Binomial name
Hylaeus communis
Nylander, 1852

Description

edit

4.5–7 mm. Indistinguishable from other Hylaeus species in the field.[3]

Range

edit

From Portugal through Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus to Central Asia; north to Ireland and central Scotland, crosses the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia, in Norway up to 63 ° N, in Sweden up to 66 ° N, in Finland up to 67.5 ° N, in Russia up to Karelia and Kirov. In the south of the distribution area the species was often mixed up with Hylaeus deceptorius (BENOIST, 1959), so that the southern border is not unequivocally established – according to current knowledge, south to Sicily, Crete, Lebanon and northern Iran. Widespread in central Europe, from the plains to the higher elevations of the low mountain ranges and in the Alps. In central Europe very common and most common species of the genus.[3]

Habitat

edit

As a pronounced ubiquist, the species occurs in a wide variety of habitats, both in dry and more humid locations, e.g. along forest edges, on clearings and clearcuts, in field hedges, in blackberry bushes, in sand, gravel and clay pits, on railway embankments, regularly also in residential areas in gardens, parks and on ruderal areas (synanthropic species).[3] From the lowlands to the subalpine altitude.[4]

Ecology

edit

This species is at least partially bivoltine. Flight time from mid or late May to September. A partial second generation flies from early August to September.[3]

Visits flowers and is an extremely polylectic species. The females were observed on the following plant species: Alliaceae: Allium schoenoprasum, Allium sphaerocephalon, Allium porrum, Allium cepa; Apiaceae: Daucus carota, Aegopodium podagraria; Asteraceae: Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Achillea millefolium, Achillea filipendulina, Tanacetum vulgare, Solidago canadensis, Leontodon autumnalis; Boraginaceae: Echium vulgare; Brassicaceae: Sinapis arvensis; Campanulaceae: Campanula rotundifolia; Crassulaceae: Sedum rupestre; Lamiaceae: Galeopsis angustifolia; Lythraceae: Lythrum salicaria; Resedaceae: Reseda lutea, Reseda luteola. The males also visit many flowers.[3]

Hylaeus communis nests in existing cavities (insect-feeding tunnels in old wood, abandoned digger wasp nests, mortar joints, cracks in the plastering of house walls, cavities in old window frames); in medullary stems, tendrils and twigs, e.g. Blackberry (Rubus), Elder (Sambucus), Roses (Rosa); in abandoned oak galls by Andricus kollari; in old reed galls of Lipara lucens, also in nesting aids (holes in wood, diameter 2–4 mm. preferably 3 mm; reed stalks).[3]

Narrow-bellied wasps of the genus Gasteruption and ore wasps of the genus Coelopencyrtus were observed as nest parasites. Occasionally adults are attacked by Strepsiptera.[4]

Etymology

edit

From Latin "communis" = "common, common"; this species is one of the most common masked bees.[4]

Taxonomy

edit

Subgenus Hylaeus FABRICIUS, 1793[4]

Synonym: Prosopis annulata var.nigrifacies ALFKEN, 1913[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ BWARS
  2. ^ Edward Saunders 1896, The Hymenoptera Aculeata of the British Isles London. pdf us.archive Full text with illustrations]
  3. ^ a b c d e f Westrich, Paul 1947- (2019). Die Wildbienen Deutschlands. ISBN 978-3-8186-0881-1. OCLC 1190164412.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c d e Erwin., Scheuchl (2016). Taschenlexikon der Wildbienen Mitteleuropas : alle Arten im Porträt. ISBN 978-3-494-01653-5. OCLC 1041414212.
edit