Melitta (bee)
Melitta is a genus of bees in the family Melittidae. It includes about 40 species restricted to Africa and the northern temperate zone. Most of the species are Palaearctic, though three rare species occur in North America.
They are bees of moderate size, generally 8 to 15 mm long. They are commonly oligolectic, with narrow host plant preferences. They resemble bees of the genus Andrena, though with radically different mouthparts and a scopa limited to the hind tibia and basitarsus.
Melitta have a crucial role as pollinators and they are protected through the Pollinators policy based on EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030.
Species
Melitta aegyptiaca Melitta albida Cockerell, 1935Melitta americana Melitta arrogans Melitta barbarae Eardley, 2006Melitta bicollaris Warncke, 1973Melitta budashkini Radchenko & Ivanov, 2012Melitta budensis Melitta californica Viereck, 1909Melitta cameroni Melitta changmuensis Wu, 1988Melitta danae Eardley, 2006Melitta dimidiata Morawitz, 1876Melitta eickworti Snelling & Stage, 1995Melitta engeli Michez, 2012Melitta ezoana Yasumatsu & Hirashima, 1956Melitta fulvescenta Wu, 2000Melitta guichardi Michez, 2007Melitta haemorrhoidalis Melitta harrietae Melitta heilungkiangensis Wu, 1978Melitta hispanica Friese 1900Melitta iberica Warncke, 1973Melitta japonica Yasumatsu & Hirashima, 1956Melitta kastiliensis Warncke, 1973Melitta katherinae Eardley, 2006Melitta latronis Cockerell, 1924Melitta leporina Melitta magnifica Michez, 2012Melitta maura Melitta melanura Melitta melittoides Melitta mongolica Wu, 1978Melitta montana Wu, 1992Melitta murciana Warncke, 1973Melitta nigrabdominalis Wu, 1988Melitta nigricans Alfken, 1905Melitta piersbakeri Engel, 2005Melitta rasmonti Michez, 2007Melitta schmiedeknechti Friese, 1898Melitta schultzei Friese, 1909Melitta seitzi Alfken 1927Melitta sibirica Melitta singular Michez, 2012Melitta tomentosa Friese, 1900Melitta tricincta Kirby, 1802Melitta udmurtica Sitdikov 1986Melitta whiteheadi Eardley, 2006