description Exaerete smaragdina Overview
Exaerete smaragdina is a neotropical bee species belonging to the family Exaeretidae. It’s notable for its unique cuckoo-like reproductive strategy where females develop within orchid flowers, relying on host bees to provide pollen and care for their young. This bee is particularly interesting to entomologists studying specialized pollination and parasitic relationships within orchid ecosystems. It primarily occurs in Central America.
insights Ranking position
Exaerete smaragdina ranks #62 of 711 in the Bee ranking, behind Amegilla cingulata, ahead of Agapostemon texanus.
help Exaerete smaragdina FAQ
Why is Exaerete smaragdina called a cuckoo orchid bee?
The female lays eggs in nests made by other orchid bees instead of provisioning her own brood cells. Her larva consumes the host's stored food, making Exaerete smaragdina a cleptoparasite comparable to a cuckoo bee.
Does Exaerete smaragdina actually develop inside orchid flowers?
No. That description confuses orchid-bee pollination with reproduction: the larvae develop in the nests of host bees, not inside orchids.
Which bees does Exaerete smaragdina parasitize?
Recorded hosts include other euglossine, or orchid, bees, particularly species in the genera Eulaema and Eufriesea. The female enters a host nest and uses food that the host mother collected for her own offspring.
Why do male Exaerete smaragdina visit orchids?
Like other male orchid bees, they collect volatile fragrances from flowers and other scented sources. They store these compounds in specialized hind-leg structures and are thought to use the resulting perfume during courtship.
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