Oligolectic Bees  
These bees are specialist pollinators of flowering plants – they visit a limited variety of plant species, often in a single genus. There is also an unusual wasp (Pseudomasaris occidentalis) that is oligolectic. All of these insects collect both pollen and nectar to feed to their larvae. An exception is Macropis steironematis, which collects pollen and floral oil for its larvae. Most of these bees are strict oligoleges – their larvae require the pollen of the preferred flowering plants in order to develop properly. Other bees are weak oligoleges – they will collect pollen from the preferred plants if it is available, otherwise the pollen of other plants can be substituted. All of these oligolectic insects are listed as flower-visitors within the database.
Scientific Name Preferred Plant Species
Andrena accepta Helianthus (Sunflower)
Andrena aliciae Helianthus (Sunflower), esp. Helianthus strumosus (Pale-leaved Sunflower)
Andrena andrenoides Salix (Willow)
Andrena asteris Aster (Aster)
Andrena asteroides Aster (Aster)
Andrena bisalicis Salix (Willow)
Andrena craginiAmorpha (Leadplant)
Andrena distans Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium)
Andrena duplicataHelianthus (Sunflower), esp. Helianthus grosseserratus (Sawtooth Sunflower)
Andrena erigeniae Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty)
Andrena erythrogaster Salix (Willow)
Andrena fenningeri (weak oligolege) Salix (Willow)
Prunus (Plum, Peach)
Andrena fragilis Cornus (Dogwood)
Andrena gardineri Senecio (Ragwort)
Andrena geranii Hydrophyllum (Waterleaf)
Andrena helianthi Helianthus (Sunflower)
Andrena helianthiformis Echinacea (Purple Coneflower), esp. Echinacea pallida (Pale Purple Coneflower)
Andrena hirticincta Aster (Aster)
Euthamia (Grass-Leaved Goldenrod)
Oligoneuron (Flat-Headed Goldenrod)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Andrena illinoiensis Salix (Willow)
Andrena krigiana Krigia (Dwarf Dandelion), esp. Krigia biflora (Two-flowered Cynthia)
Andrena lamelliterga Phacelia (Phacelia)
Andrena mariae Salix (Willow)
Andrena nivalis Ribes (Gooseberry, Currant)
Andrena nothoscordi Nothoscordum bivalve (False Garlic)
Andrena nubecula Aster (Aster)
Euthamia (Grass-Leaved Goldenrod)
Oligoneuron (Flat-Headed Goldenrod)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Andrena parnassiae Parnassia glauca (Grass-of-Parnassus)
Andrena phaceliae Phacelia (Phacelia)
Andrena placata Oligoneuron (Flat-Headed Goldenrod)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Andrena polemonii Polemonium reptans (Jacob's Ladder)
Andrena quintilis Amorpha (Leadplant, False Indigo)
Andrena rudbeckiae Ratibida (Yellow Coneflower)
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Andrena salictaria Salix (Willow)
Andrena sigmundi Salix (Willow)
Andrena simplex Aster (Aster)
Euthamia (Grass-Leaved Goldenrod)
Oligoneuron (Flat-Headed Goldenrod)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Andrena solidaginis Aster (Aster)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Andrena spiraeana Aruncus dioicus (Goat's Beard)
Andrena violae Viola (Violet)
Andrena ziziae Apiaceae, including Pastinaca sativa, Polytaenia nuttallii, Sanicula, Taenidia integerrima, Thaspium, and Zizia
Anthedonia compta Oenothera biennis (Common Evening Primrose)
probably other Oenothera spp.
Anthemurgus passiflorae Passiflora (Passion Flower)
Anthophora walshii Chamaecrista (Partridge Pea)
possibly Senna (Wild Senna)
Calliopsis verbenae Verbena (Vervain)
Cemolobus ipomoeae Ipomoea (Morning Glory)
Chelostoma philadelphi Philadelphus (Mock Orange)
Colletes albescens Dalea purpurea (Purple Prairie Clover)
probably other Dalea spp.
Colletes aestivalis Heuchera (Alumroot)
Colletes andrewsiHeuchera (Alumroot), esp. Heuchera richardsonii (Prairie Alumroot)
Colletes brevicornis Triodanis perfoliata (Venus' Looking Glass)
probably other Triodanis spp.
Colletes latitarsis Physalis (Ground Cherry)
Colletes robertsonii Dalea (Prairie Clover)
Colletes simulans armata Aster (Aster)
Euthamia (Grass-Leaved Goldenrod)
Oligoneuron (Flat-Headed Goldenrod)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Colletes susannae Dalea purpurea (Purple Prairie Clover)
probably other Dalea spp.
Colletes willistoni Physalis (Ground Cherry)
Colletes wilmattae Dalea (Prairie Clover)
Dufourea marginatus Helianthus (Sunflower)
Dufourea monardae Monarda (Bee Balm)
possibly Agastache (Giant Hyssop)
Dufourea novaeangliae Pontederia cordata (Pickerelweed)
Heterosarus rudbeckiae Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Hylaeus nelumbonis Nelumbo (Water Lotus)
Nuphar (Pond Lily, Spatterdock)
Nymphaea (Water Lily)
Lasioglossum lustrans Pyrrhopappus carolinianus (False Dandelion)
probably other Pyrrhopappus spp.
Lasioglossum oenotherae Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
Lasioglossum nelumbonis Nelumbo (Water Lotus)
Nuphar (Pond Lily, Spatterdock)
Nymphaea (Water Lily)
Lasioglossum nymphaearum Nelumbo (Water Lotus)
Nuphar (Pond Lily, Spatterdock)
Nymphaea (Water Lily)
Macropis steironematis Lysimachia (Yellow Loosestrife)
Megachile campanulae Campanulastrum americanum (American Bellflower)
Megachile ingenuaTephrosia (Goat's Rue), especially Tephrosia virginiana (Eastern Goat's Rue)
Megachile integra Strophostyles helvola (Fuzzy Bean)
probably other Strophostyles spp.
Melissodes agilis Helianthus (Sunflower)
Melissodes apicata Pontederia cordata (Pickerelweed)
Melissodes coreopsis Coreopsis palmata (Prairie Coreopsis)
probably other Coreopsis spp.
Melissodes denticulata Vernonia (Ironweed)
Melissodes desponsa Cirsium (Thistle)
possibly Arctium (Burdock)
Melissodes vernoniae Vernonia (Ironweed)
Melitoma taurea Ipomoea (Morning Glory)
Osmia distincta (weak oligolege) Penstemon (Beardtongue)
Peponapis pruinosa Cucurbita pepo (Squash) and possibly other spp. in the Cucurbitaceae
Perdita boltoniae Boltonia asterioides (False Aster)
possibly other Boltonia spp.
Perdita halictoides Physalis (Ground Cherry)
Protandrena bancroftiDalea (Prairie Clover) and Amorpha (Leadplant)
Pseudomasaris occidentalis (wasp) Penstemon (Beardtongue)
Pseudopanurgus rugosus Helianthus (Sunflower)
Ptilothrix bombiformis Hibiscus (Rose Mallow)
Svastra atripes Chamaecrista (Partridge Pea)
possibly Senna (Wild Senna)
Synhalonia rosae Rosa (Wild Rose)
Xenoglossa strenua Cucurbita pepo (Squash) and possibly other spp. in the Cucurbitaceae
 
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