Perdita minima
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Perdita minima | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Andrenidae |
| Subfamily: | Panurginae |
| Genus: | Perdita |
| Species: | P. minima |
| Binomial name | |
| Perdita minima Cockerell, 1923 | |
Perdita minima is a species of mining bee in the family Andrenidae.[1][2][3][4] It is the smallest known species of bee,[5] just under 2 mm long and weighing about 0.33 mg.[6]
This solitary bee is found in North America,[1] specifically in the southwestern US, and often inhabits desert areas.[5][6] It builds small nests in sandy soils. It feeds on and pollinates a variety of plants,[5] including spurges.[6]