Hylaeus proximus
| Hylaeus proximus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female on Melaleuca | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Colletidae |
| Genus: | Hylaeus |
| Species: | H. proximus |
| Binomial name | |
| Hylaeus proximus (Smith, 1879) | |
Hylaeus proximus, commonly known as the lesser red masked bee, is a species of bee in the family Colletidae. It was described by Frederick Smith in 1879, and it is widely distributed across mainland Australia. Females are 5mm long, with a partly red abdomen and thorax and two white lines on the face. Males are 4mm long, with a darker abdomen and a black thorax. It forages on a wide variety of native flowering plants.
Taxonomy
Hylaeus proximus was first described by British entomologist Frederick Smith in 1879. The holotype was collected in Geraldton, Western Australia.[1]
Description
This is a small species of bee, with females measuring approximately 5mm long and males approximately 4mm long. The propodeum is roughly textured in both sexes.[2]
Females are partly black, but much of the thorax and the front segments of the abdomen are red.[2] The antennae, clypeus, labrum and mandibles are red. Females have a narrow white line on each side of the face, which extend along the eyes and up to the antennae.[3] The middle legs have red tarsi, and the front legs have red tarsi and tibiae. The hind legs have reddish joints.[3] The wings are transparent and iridescent. The abdomen is shiny.[3]
Males have an entirely black thorax and a darker abdomen than females.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Hylaeus proximus is widely distributed across Australia, with records from all states and territories except for Tasmania.
Behaviour and ecology
This species can be very abundant at flowers of Eucalyptus and Melaleuca.[4] It has also been recorded foraging on flowers of the following genera: Scaevola, Angophora, Hakea, Banskia, Grevillea, Acacia, Bursaria, Eremophila, Leucopogon, Senna, Callistemon, Jacksonia, Brachychiton, Calytrix, Leptospermum and Schinus.[5][2][6] Males form roosting aggregations, in which they typically perch crosswise on stems.[4]
References
- ↑ "PaDIL". www.padil.gov.au. Retrieved 2026-08-15.
- 1 2 3 4 "Sydney hylaeine bees". michaelbatley.github.io. Retrieved 2026-08-15.
- 1 2 3 Smith, F (1879). "Descriptions of New Species of Hymenoptera in the Collection of the British Museum". London: British Museum: 24 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- 1 2 Houston, Terry (2018). A Guide to Native Bees of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. pp. 29, 151. ISBN 9781486304066.
- ↑ Jacobi, Bernhard (2025). Native Bees of Australia - a comprehensive guide. Reed New Holland Publishers. p. 182. ISBN 9781760796372.
- ↑ "Hylaeus proximus". ausemade.com.au. Retrieved 2026-08-15.