Hylaeus elegans

Hylaeus elegans
Female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Colletidae
Genus: Hylaeus
Species:
H. elegans
Binomial name
Hylaeus elegans
(Smith, 1853)
Synonyms
  • Prosopis elegans Smith, 1853
  • Prosopis sydneyana Cockerell, 1905
  • Prosopis elegans huseloides Cockerell, 1910
  • Prosopis rollei Cockerell, 1910
  • Euprosopis nodosicornis Cockerell, 1913
  • Hylaeus rubripes Friese, 1924
  • Prosopis flaviceps Friese, 1924
  • Euprosopis elegans hillii Rayment, 1930
  • Euprosopis elegans maculata Rayment, 1930
  • Euprosopis elegans occidentalis Rayment, 1930
  • Euprosopis elegans labiata Rayment, 1930
  • Euprosopis elegans smithii Rayment, 1930

Hylaeus elegans, or Hylaeus (Euprosopis) elegans, is a species of bee in the family Colletidae and subfamily Hylaeinae. It is endemic to Australia. It was described by English entomologist Frederick Smith in 1853.

Distribution and habitat

The species occurs across much of mainland Australia.

Female, dorsal view
Male

Behaviour

The adults are solitary flying mellivores that nest in any suitable cavities, including plant-tubes, posts, and the abandoned galleries of other bees or of longicorn beetles. Flowering plants visited by the bees include Acacia, Angophora, Atalaya, Callistemon, Calytrix, Eucalyptus, Eucarya, Leptospermum, Melaleuca, Schinus and Tristaniopsis species.

On Eucalyptus leucoxylon flowers

References

  1. 1 2 Smith, F (1853). Catalogue of Hymenopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. Part I. Andrenidae and Apidae. London: British Museum. pp. 1–197 [28].
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Species Hylaeus (Euprosopis) elegans (Smith, 1853)". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2026. Retrieved 2026-09-18.