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Similar to Colletes, I too wrap my babies and their food in a cellophane - like lining. But you may have noticed that I look a little more wasp-like than the other bees. This is because I carry my pollen in my stomach rather than on my body -- so I don’t need to worry about external pollen carrying structures.
Hi, I’m nicknamed the “plasterer bee” because I wrap my babies in a plastic wrap! I’m able to make this polyester myself with a special gland and since I nest in the ground and need a way to waterproof the lining of my brood cell. You’ll also probably see me licking the cellophane-like wrapping. I’m actually lining the cell with a secretion that protects against bacterial and fungal pathogens!
Hi there, notice that I, like lady Hylaeus, look like I’m wearing a mask. This is where we get the name “masked bees”. One major difference between us is that I have a fuller mask, whereas my female counterpart often only has a couple of stripes on her face. We are very tiny bees, usually around the size of a grain of rice, so you’ll have to look close to see our beautiful faces.
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