Cellophane Bees
Lat. “Colletes“ The genus Colletes (plasterer bees) is a large group of ground-nesting bees of the family Colletidae. They occur primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. They tend to be solitary, but sometimes nest close together in aggregations. Species in the genus build cells in underground nests that are lined with a cellophane-like plastic secretion, a true polyester, earning them the nickname polyester bees.
External links Clark, P. Polyester bees: Born in a plastic bag. Washington Post March 15, 2011.
Colletes Identification Guide (female). discoverlife.org
Colletes Identification Guide (male). discoverlife.org
List of Species. discoverlife.org
Worldwide Species Map. discoverlife.org
Further reading Kuhlmann, M. (1999). Colletes wolfi spec. nova from Italy, and lectotype designation for Palaearctic bees of the genus Colletes Latr., with notes on new homonymies and synonymies (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Colletinae). Linzer biologische Beiträge 31(1), 71–81.
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flowchart LR
classDef active fill:#fff
arthropods("phylum: Arthropods"):::active
arthropods-->insects("class: Insects"):::active
insects-->narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees("suborder: Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees"):::active
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->ants("family: Ants")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->bembix-rostrata(["species: Bembix rostrata"])
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees==>cellophane-bees("genus: Cellophane Bees"):::active
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->cuckoo-wasps("family: Cuckoo Wasps")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->european-beewolf(["species: European beewolf"])
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->honey-bees-bumble-bees-and-allies("family: Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, and Allies")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->hornets-paper-wasps-potter-wasps-and-allies("family: Hornets, Paper Wasps, Potter Wasps, and Allies")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->ichneumonid-wasps("family: Ichneumonid Wasps")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->lindenius-albilabris(["species: Lindenius albilabris"])
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->masked-bees("genus: Masked Bees")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->mason-leafcutter-carder-and-resin-bees("family: Mason, Leafcutter, Carder, and Resin Bees")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->mining-bees("genus: Mining Bees")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->oxybelus("genus: Oxybelus")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->sweat-bees("family: Sweat Bees")
narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees-.->thread-waisted-wasps("family: Thread-waisted Wasps")
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click cuckoo-wasps href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/cuckoo-wasps/"
click european-beewolf href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/european-beewolf/"
click honey-bees-bumble-bees-and-allies href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/honey-bees-bumble-bees-and-allies/"
click hornets-paper-wasps-potter-wasps-and-allies href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/hornets-paper-wasps-potter-wasps-and-allies/"
click ichneumonid-wasps href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/ichneumonid-wasps/"
click lindenius-albilabris href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/lindenius-albilabris/"
click masked-bees href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/masked-bees/"
click mason-leafcutter-carder-and-resin-bees href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/mason-leafcutter-carder-and-resin-bees/"
click mining-bees href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/mining-bees/"
click oxybelus href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/oxybelus/"
click sweat-bees href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/sweat-bees/"
click thread-waisted-wasps href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/thread-waisted-wasps/"
click arthropods href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/"
click insects href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/"
click narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/narrow-waisted-wasps-ants-and-bees/"
Further Information
Copyright „Cellophane Bees“ also appeared in the following editions of Arthropods Daily 
