An annotated checklist and catalogue of the native bee species
occurring on the Southern High Plains in western Texas, USA
Wilber Gutierrez*, Roberto Miranda*, Samuel Discua and Scott Longing
Photo credit: TTU-TTU-Z
Photo credit: TTU-TTU-Z
Photo credit: TTU-TTU-Z
Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway St, Lubbock, TX 79409
* Zamorano student, intern of SOWER Scholar Program in Texas Tech University.
10
Number of species
15
36
2
12
8
Potter
Randall
Roberts
Sherman
Swisher
Terry
0 12
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
1
3
0
0
4
4
0
9
4
1
6
0
Wheeler
Yoakum
Parmer
1
Oldham
0
Ochiltree
0
Moore
3
Midland
Hale
1
1
9 11
1 1
1
Martin
Gray
1
0 11
Lynn
Gaines
0
1
Lubbock
Floyd
7
1
Lipscomb
Ector
0
Lamb
Donley
7
1
Hutchinson
Deaf Smith
5
1
1
Howard
Dawson
4
Hockley
Dallam
4
Hemphill
Crosby
1
Hartley
Cochran
2
Hansford
Castro
2
Briscoe
Carson
Bailey
Armstrong
1
0
0
1
15
4
6
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
2
9
1
1
1
3
1
1
8
4
4
2
1
1
1
6
3
1
1
2
2
1
8
10
1
2
7
2
1
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
5
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Sherman
Swisher
Terry
0 12
3
2
3
0
0
4
4
0
9
4
1
6
0
8
6
4
2
0
County
Photo credit: TTU-TTU-Z
Agapostemon texanus Cresson, 1872
Photo credit: TTU-TTU-Z
Megachile brevis Say, 1837
Photo credit: TTU-TTU-Z
Halictus ligatus Say, 1837
Conclusions
This study provides an initial evaluation of the native bee species Texas of High
Plains region. Future studies will involve comparing this historical records with
current ongoing surveys in the region. Species richness information from this study
will serve as background information to further assess bee communities, while
providing data to facilitate comparisons of species richness regionally within our
area of interest.
Additional analyses will involve classifying bees into functional guilds based on
differences in habitat, phenology, body size, eusocial behavior, and foraging
patterns. Thus, we will improve our understanding of the bee communities and
their habitat resource needs in the region, which will improve actions to restore
and reclaim native habitats to support native bee communities.
References
Ascher, J. S. and J. Pickering. 2015. Discover Life bee species guide and world
checklist (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila).
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Apoidea_species
SCAN. 2015. http//:symbiota4.acis.ufl.edu/scan/portal/index.php. Accessed on
November 1st .
United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (2015)
Pollinator Library. Available at: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/pollinator/ Accessed on
November 1st.
Warriner, M.D. 2012. Bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of Texas: historical
distributions. Southwestern Naturalist 57:442-445.
Michener, McGinley and Danforth. 1994. The Bee Genera of North and Central
America (Hymenoptera:Apoidea).
Paul H. Williams, Robbin W. Thorp, Leif L. Richardson & Sheila R. Colla. 2014.
Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide.
Wheeler
Yoakum
Roberts
0
Randall
0
Potter
3
Parmer
9 11
Oldham
0 11
Ochiltree
0
Moore
7
Midland
0
Martin
7
Lynn
5
Lubbock
4
Lipscomb
4
Lamb
Hale
1
Hutchinson
Gray
2
Howard
Gaines
2
Hockley
Floyd
1
Hemphill
Ector
3
Hartley
Donley
2 14 11
Hansford
Deaf Smith
5
Dawson
1
4
Photo credit: TTU-TTU-Z
0
0
Figure 2. Photographies taked from Dino-lite Microscope, lab PSS, Texas Tech University.
Briscoe
Lubbock
Carson
Hartley
Hockley
Hemphill
Randall
Floyd
Gray
Swisher
Armstrong
Ector
Andrews
Deaf Smith
Donley
Oldham
Parmer
Roberts
Castro
Howard
Lynn
Midland
Bailey
Crosby
Dallam
Martin
Cochran
Dawson
Sherman
Gaines
Hale
Hansford
Hutchinson
Lamb
Lipscomb
Moore
Ochiltree
Potter
Terry
Wheeler
Yoakum
Species of bees
12
3
1
Dallam
Species/Counties
14
2 14 11
1 1 1
Crosby
16
5
1
Cochran
Figure 1. Total number of antophilous bee species found on each county
from High Plains region of Texas
Agapostemon angelicus
Agapostemon melliventris
Agapostemon texanus
Agapostemon virescens
Agapostenmon colaradinus
Ancyloscelis sejunctus
Anthidium porterae
Anthophora affabilis
Anthophorula compactula
Anthophorula completa
Apis mellifera
Ashmeadiella gilletei
Augochlorella aurata
Augochloropsis metallica
Bombus pensylvanicus
Coelioxys edita
Coelioxys novomexicana
Coelioxys rufitarsis
Colletes Latreille
Colletes mandibularis
Colliopsis coloradensis
Diadasia diminuta
Diadasia enavata
Diadasia ochracea
Diadasia rinconis
Epeolus australis
Epeolus lectoides
Epeolus pusillus
Halictus ligatus
Halictus tripartitus
Holcopasites colliopsidis
Lasioglossum pruinosum
Lasioglossum semicaeruleum
Megachile parallela
Megachile policaris
Melissodes communis
Melissodes coreopsis
Melissodes rivalis
Melissodes submenuacha
Melissodes tristis
Melissodes veroniae
Melissoides agilis
Melissoides communis communis
Melissoides latreille
Melissoides rivalis
Melissoides tristis
Nomada scita
Nomada seneciophila
Nomada texana
Nomada vegana
Nomia nortoni
Osmia subfasciata
Panurginus beardsleyi
Perdita albipennis albipennis
Perdita albipennis heliophila
Perdita bequaertiana
Perdita bruneri
Perdita fallax
Perdita ignota
Perdita lingualis
Perdita luteola
Perdita sexmaculata
Perdita texana
Protandrena abdominalis
Protandrena bancrofti
Protandrena mexicanorum
Tetraloniella spissa
Triepeolus concavus
Triepeolus distinctus
Triepeolus grandis
Triepeolus lunatus
Triepeolus norae
Triepeolus scelestus
4
Castro
We found a total of 72 species of bees, belonging to 27 genera, and 5
families (Andrenidae, Apidae, Colletidae, Halictidae and Megachilidae)
(Table 1). We found historical records of bees for only 30 of the 41
counties of the High Plains Region of Texas. Briscoe County had the
highest number of bee species reported with 14, Lubbock County with
12, followed by Carson, Hartley and Hockley counties with 11 species
each (Table 2).
Species/Counties
Carson
Results
B
Table 2. Checklist of antophilous bee species found on each county of High Plains region
of Texas.
Briscoe
Data Collection. Historical occurrences of bees was obtained from online
databases, the Symbiota Collections Arthropods Network (SCAN),
Discover life, the USGS Northern Prairie wildlife research center Pollinator
Library ,specimens collected by the authors, and uncatalogued museum
specimens from the Invertebrate Collection of the Museum of Texas Tech
University.
Bees not found or catalogued in online databases, were identified to
genus level using published dichotomous keys (Michener et al. 1994).
Bees from each genera were then grouped into morpho-species based on
morphological characteristics.
Number of genera
4
11
1
6
5
Bailey
Materials and Methods
Family
Andrenidae
Apidae
Colletidae
Halictidae
Megachilidae
Armstrong
Loss of natural habitat, excessive use of pesticides, invasive species,
diseases and climate change are causing managed and wild bee
populations to decline worldwide. The loss of bee populations puts at risk
pollination services in natural ecosystems, native plant diversity, and
agricultural production. The objective of this study was to catalogue and
develop an annotated checklist of the bee species occurring on the High
Plains Region of Texas.
A
Andrews
Antophilous Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) provide key
ecosystem services pollinating more than 80% of all flowering plants and
about one third of all the food we eat (FAO). There are more than 20,000
species of bees worldwide, belonging to nine different families:
Andrenidae, Apidae, Colletidae, Dasypodaidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae,
Meganomiidae, Melittidae and Stenotritidae (Michener 2007). United
States has an estimated 4,000 species of native bees, and the state of
Texas has an estimated 900 species (Asher and Pickett 2016). However,
the number of species occurring in the High Plains Region of Texas
(Figure 1) and the potential changes in biodiversity attributed to
widespread conversion of native lands to agriculture, remains unclear.
Figure 3. A: Counties from Texas into High Plain región. B: High Plain region map of
Texas.
Table 1. Number of species and Genera by each bee family.
Andrews
Introduction
Acknowledgments
We thank James Cokendolpher, curator of invertebrates at the Museum of Texas
Tech University, for his technical assistance.