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California Fairy Bee
Perdita californica
Andrenidae
Perdita
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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
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