Ptiloglossa
Ptiloglossa is a small group of bees in the Colletidae family, found across the Americas. It is one of the more common nocturnal groups of colletid bees. The genus has about 50 to 55 species, with the most diversity in South and Central America. Three species—Ptiloglossa arizonensis, P. jonesi, and P. mexicana—live in the Southwestern United States.
These bees are usually large and hairy. They are crepuscular pollinators, active mainly at sundown or just before dawn. They have enlarged simple eyes (ocelli) to help them fly in very low light. They often use buzz pollination to shake pollen from flowers.
Like other colletids, Ptiloglossa bees provision their larvae with a liquid meal sealed inside a membranous, cellophane-like lining. It is believed yeasts in this liquid provide most of the protein.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:01 (CET).