description Ceratina calcarata Overview
Ceratina calcarata, also known as the calcarate ceratinia bee, is a small carpenter bee found throughout North America. This species exhibits unique nesting behavior, constructing tiny, stem-nesting structures using plant stems. Researchers study *C. calcarata* to understand early stages of social insect evolution and maternal care strategies within primitively eusocial colonies.
It’s particularly relevant for scientists investigating the origins of complex bee societies.
help Ceratina calcarata FAQ
Where does Ceratina calcarata make its nest?
Females excavate the soft pith inside broken or cut plant stems rather than boring through structural timber. They divide the tunnel into brood cells and remain to guard and care for their offspring.
What is the "dwarf eldest daughter" of Ceratina calcarata?
Some mothers produce an unusually small first daughter that stays at the nest and feeds her adult siblings. Researchers study this division of labor as a possible bridge between solitary maternal care and eusocial worker behavior.
Is Ceratina calcarata a truly eusocial bee?
It is usually described as subsocial because the mother provides prolonged care but the species lacks the fixed queen and worker castes of honey bees. Its occasional alloparental daughter nevertheless displays a worker-like role.
Does Ceratina calcarata damage houses like a large carpenter bee?
It normally nests in small, pithy plant stems and is far less associated with structural damage than Xylocopa carpenter bees. Leaving some dead stems in a garden can provide nesting habitat for these small native pollinators.
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