Chelostoma rapunculi♂︎

Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove)

Last update: 5 February 2021


Uncommon

LOCATION: Krimpen aan den IJssel, garden

OBSERVATION:
2016-VI-08


This sleeping beauty was hanging inside a flower of Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). It is a male Chelostoma rapunculi[1, 2].
These and other bees, will rest in htis posture where they hang using their mandibles. There were actually two of these bees hanging, each in their own flower.

Chelostoma rapunculi ♂︎

The bee is rather small, approximately 1 cm. The species is recognizable by the hairbands on the abdomen.
The males have a protruding structure on the second belly segment (sternite) ans three stump thorns on the end of the abdomen[1, 2].

Enlargement thorns abdomen Chelostoma rapunculi ♂︎

This species is relatively rare in the Netherlands[1], so very nice that it visits the garden!


References

1 Peeters, T.M.J., H. Nieuwenhuijsen, J. Smit, F. van der Meer, I.P. Raemakers, W.R.B. Heitmans, C. van Achterberg, M. Kwak, A.J. Loonstra, J. de Rond, M. Roos & M. Reemer 2012. De Nederlands bijen (Hymennoptera: Apidae s.l.). - Natuur van Nederland 11, Naturalis Biodiversity Center & European Invertebrate Survey - Nederland, Leiden.

2 wildebijen.nl, "De Nederlandse bijen en hun relaties, overzicht van in Nederland en Vlaanderen voorkomende solitaire en sociale bijen (Apidea s.l.)"

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