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Project Noah Nature School
Centris sp.
The Centridini are a tribe of large apid bees, many of which possess adaptations for carrying floral oils rather than (or in addition to) pollen or nectar. The floral oils are often gathered from plants of the family Malpighiaceae, though other plants may be visited. The oil-collecting species typically have "combs" composed of closely spaced, flattened, blunt bristles on the margins of the first tarsal segments of the front and middle legs; others may have velvety "pads" to absorb the oils. They also commonly gather plant resins for use in nest cell construction. They have a tiny pterostigma in the forewing, the female scopa is very bushy, and the first flagellomere of the antenna is often longer than the scape. Centris are commonly encountered bees in American deserts, and are active at very high ambient temperatures when many other species are in hiding. They can often be seen in large numbers on palo verde blossoms.
As abelhas do gênero distribuem-se do sudoeste dos Estados Unidos até as regiões xéricas da Argentina e Chile. Essas abelhas, solitárias, têm os mais variados hábitos de nidificação. Muitas espécies escavam ninhos no solo, outras podem estabelecer seus ninhos dentro de termiteiros ou em cavidades pré-existentes, como troncos de árvores e ninhos armadilhas. As fêmeas da tribo Centridini são dotadas de estruturas especializadas para coleta de lipídios florais e estão associadas, principalmente às flores de Malpighiaceae. Este recurso é utilizado para alimentação larval, juntamente com o pólen, e também na construção das células de cria. Essa interação confere aos Centridini um papel relevante como agentes polinizadores das plantas de óleo. No Brasil, espécies do gênero Centris foram diagnosticadas em diversos ecossistemas, dentre eles dunas e restinga, caatinga e cerrado; neste último, com maior diversidade . (http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S004...)
Sckel :-D Wow,great series,beautiful,congrast on the SOTD and thanks for sharing.
Parabéns Sckel minha amiga,muito fixe mesmo,tás uma pro :-)
Congrats Sckel amazing capture !!!!!! ! Well deserved SOTD ! Beautiful colors !
Congratulations on the SOTD, Sckel.
I am glad you are here in PN, your spottings are fantastic.
Thank you, my friend. Shooting an insect and to see its details expanded instantly is a privilege, which sometimes made me cry with emotion. But, I do not know if it's deserved, there is so splendid things in Noh. I'm happy and thankful for I have eyes to see it all, my camera, my backyard, the friends I made in Noah. Soon, I will win my patche of deep roots. And it all started with an owl that unexpectedly landed in my laundry tub. Noah is unique. The people who are kind to me, patients with my bad English. :) Thank you all again.
Oh my dear friend..I was expecting this..
Such an amazing spotting..Very well deserved :)
Expecting a ton of new findings from you:)
Hurray! A big congratulations from me! A beautiful portrait of this bee!!
Well dererved!
Congrats Sckel, your wonderful series of this very busy bee has been chosen as Spotting of the Day!
A centris bee visits a flower for nectar and floral oils in our Spotting of the Day.
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I love the hair and the red abdomen. Great pics kel! Especially like the fifth photo.
Thank you for your kind words, my friend. I want to photograph a big black bee, is my Christmas wish.
Oh my dear friend Sckel! Your spotting is shining in dark!
Such a special spotting :) Thank you for sharing it..Speechless :)
Spotted on Nov 12, 2013
Submitted on Nov 12, 2013
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