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Bees gathering on plant in evening #767154

Asked August 12, 2021, 11:19 PM EDT

I have a small oak prairie "meadow" in my front yard. The past two nights I've noticed a group of ~40 bees gathering on the dead remnants of flower stalk. I _think_ that it's a year old stalk from gumweed (Grindelia integrifolia). They seem to be just resting on this one plant. What taxon is this? Why are they doing this?

Multnomah County Oregon

Expert Response

Hi Jason,

Great pictures! These are male long-horned bees of the genus Melissoides. These bees specialize on plants in the sunflower family. The females nest in the ground, but the males huddle together and bunk out on plant stems. I believe we have something like 25 species of Melissoides in Oregon. 


Andony Melathopoulos, Assistant Professor Pollinator Health Extension Department of Horticulture | Oregon State University 4017 Agricultural and Life Science Building | Corvallis, OR 97331-7304 cell: (541) 452-3038 Andony.Melathopoulos@oregonstate.edu oregon bee atlas | oregon bee project | twitter | facebook | instagram | podcast Replied August 13, 2021, 1:39 PM EDT

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