Eufriesea is a genus of more than 60 species of bees in the tribe Euglossini, commonly known as orchid bees, euglossine bees or long tongue wasps.
These bees are easily recognized by their large, robust bodies with metallic iridescence ranging from black to blue or green with a golden, red or purple iridescence.
They play an important role in pollinating orchids and many other plants. Males of this species regularly visit orchids, to collect essential oils that are then brought back to the nest, and these were probably used to attract females.
Most species of Eufriesea are only active for a few months of the rainy season.
Like all orchid wasps, they are restricted to the Neotropics, mostly in South America.
The newly discovered species is the first of its genus known from an island in the Pacific Ocean.
Named Eufriesea insularis, it occurs on Isla Maria Madre, the largest island of Islas Marías – an archipelago of four islands located 100 kilometers off the coast of the Mexican state of Nayarit.
Dr Ricardo Ayala from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma said: “The archipelago was designated by UNESCO and the Mexican Government as an Islas Marías Biosphere Reserve in 2010, and it is being designated by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the country’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. Mexican protection.
“The vegetation on the Islas Marías archipelago is mainly tropical dry forest, but part of the island is covered with shrubs, while denser and higher woody vegetation is concentrated in the canyons.”
Eufriesea insularis belongs to the species group Eufriesea coerulescens.
“This group of species includes six species that are probably limited to Mexico, along tropical dry forests, as well as in pine and oak forests, from sea-level coverage to,” the researchers said. altitude about 1,500 m,” the researchers said.
“Eufriesea coerulescens, the most common species of the group, has also been recorded from the Guadalupe Mountains of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico, USA”.
Eufrieea insularis is identified by its dark green shell with purple iridescence, black undercoat, dark wings and cypeus green with purple tint and a prominent raised ridge along the midline.
It has a total body length of 19.5 mm, and compound eyes 4.6 mm long and 2.2 mm wide.
“Based on the timing of specimen collection, Eufriesea insularis appears to be active during the rainy season (July to November) and into early winter,” the scientists said.
“Admittedly we only had two days to collect the specimens, but considering that two of the typical specimens have badly damaged wings, we can assume they have been active for many years. last month, during the rainy season”.
“We hope this contribution will encourage further studies to explore the biology and botany of this unique pollinator.”
There are about 200 known species of orchid bees, distributed in five genera: Euglossa, Eulaema, Eufriesea, Exaerete and Aglae – only one species. All of them are found only in South America or Central America and a few of them are found in the United States. Except for the genus Eulaema, all species in the remaining 4 genera possess brilliant metallic colors, mainly green, yellow and blue.
Females collect pollen and nectar for food, and they make nests from a variety of materials such as plants, plastic, mud and other materials. The young will leave the nest, begin their independent life immediately after hatching, and they will never return.
These bees do not produce honey like their relatives, they often use a special tongue twice the length of their body to collect honey and pollen. However, with the males, they have one more job to do, which is to accumulate scents and create a unique perfume that they have to impress the females. They will use their forelimbs to collect scents and store them in special pouches on their hind legs. During mating season, males will perch on trees and open incense bags to mark and fly around to attract mates.
Source: Animalia; Unbelievable, ZME