Photo: Arnstein Staverløkk / NINA / CC BY 3.0
Stelis punctulatissima
Banded Dark Bee
A medium-sized cleptoparasitic bee (8–11 mm) with a black body and distinctive translucent pale margins on tergites 1–4. It has no pollen-collecting scopa. It lays its eggs in the nests of Anthidium manicatum and various Osmia and Megachile species. In Switzerland it occurs in gardens, dry meadows, and warm forest edges from lowlands to montane regions and is listed as Least Concern on the national Red List. Single-brooded, flying from mid-June to late August.
Species Facts
- Size
- 8–11 mm
- Flight Period
- June to August
- Nesting
- Brood parasite
- Specialization
- Brood parasite
- Abundance
- Rare
- Family
- Megachilidae
External Sources
This data has been cross-referenced with national sources:
Data Source & Copyright
| Category | Source / Author | License |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | Arnstein Staverløkk / NINA | CC BY 3.0 |
| Taxonomy & Distribution | InfoFauna Switzerland | Public data |
| Global Distribution | GBIF | CC BY 4.0 |
Data Quality
High Quality Last audit: 2026-05-22
Completeness: 80%
✓Photo exists✓Traits consistent✓Description quality✗Red List referenced✓Attribution verified
Confidence: 67%
IdentifiabilityMediumImage confidenceMediumImage qualityHighTrait coherenceHigh
Red List status missing from description
