California Fairy Bee

Perdita californica

Andrenidae

Perdita

Description

Genus Perdita is named for Shakespeare’s heroine, Perdita, in The Winter’s Tale, who loved wildflowers best of all. Perdita californica is a beautiful, colorful, small bee with a gold/red abdomen. There are 2 submarginal cells and a large stigma in the wing. The bee is about 6 mm in length. Shown with a truly tiny chalcidoid wasp, on Mariposa Lily.

Nectar/

Pollen Plants

Associated with Mariposa Lily (Calochortus venustus) as pollen collector. May visit other flowers for nectar.

Habits

Ground nesters, but details are not known.

Season

April - June, timed to blooming of Mariposa Lily