description Centris lanipes Overview
Centris lanipes is a species of solitary bee found in the Neotropical region, which includes Central and South America. It is an oil-collecting bee specially adapted to gather floral oils from plants in the Malpighiaceae family, which it uses to provision its larvae. The females possess specialized setae on their legs to absorb and transport these oils. They are important pollinators for the specific flora they visit.
help Centris lanipes FAQ
What makes Centris lanipes an oil-collecting bee?
Females have specialized structures on their legs for gathering floral oils, especially from plants in the family Malpighiaceae. The oil is used as part of the food and provisioning material prepared for developing larvae. [Research on Centris and oil flowers](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304380013001506)
Where is Centris lanipes found?
Centris lanipes is a Neotropical species with records from the Caribbean and mainland parts of Central and South America. The USGS has documented specimens from Puerto Rico, while museum catalogues include records from Brazil and Guyana. [USGS specimen record](https://www.usgs.gov/labs/usgs-bee-lab-at-the-eastern-ecological-science-center/multimedia/images?page=184)
Does Centris lanipes live in a hive?
No. Centris bees are solitary, so each female creates or occupies a nest and provisions her own brood cells rather than supporting a large worker colony. That makes its life cycle very different from the honeybee Apis mellifera.
Which plants are important to Centris lanipes?
Its oil-collecting biology is tied especially to Malpighiaceae flowers, including plants related to Malpighia and Byrsonima. While visiting these flowers, Centris bees can contact the anthers and stigma and act as effective pollinators. [Malpighiaceae pollination research](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4242364/)
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