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Reprinted with permission from: Rightmyer, M.G. A Review of the Cleptoparasitic Bee Genus Triepeolus (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
TRIEPEOLUS ATRIPES MITCHELL
(Figs. 13, 14)
Triepeolus micropygius atripes Mitchell 1962: 474, Fig. 112 [Holotype: U. S. National Museum of Natural History No. 75245; female, Holly Shelter (Pender Co.), North Carolina; 18 October 1952].
Description.—Length ca. 10–13 mm; ITW 2.0–2.5 mm. Integument black, with red on apical half of mandible and sometimes F1; dorsum of mesosoma and metasoma with bands of pale gray to white setae. Clypeus relatively flat, with strong midline; integument entirely covered with white, medially-directed setae, or partially or entirely asetose, with no or very vague larger punctures. Paramedian band clearly separated from other pale setae on mesoscutum (females and some males) or connected laterally to diffuse white setae on anterior margin of mesoscutum (some males). Scutellum moderately to strongly bigibbous; axillar spine triangular, reaching or surpassing midpoint of scutellum, sometimes weakly incurved apically. Mesepisternum lacking erect, simple setae; punctures irregular and fairly dense, in places separated by up to 2, sometimes 3, puncture diameters; integument between punctures raised and shining. T1 discal patch transversely ovate; T2 with LLB forming weakly acute angle with ATB. Female: Pseudopygidial area longitudinally ovate, with elongate, somewhat elevated basal crescent of silvery shining setae; S3–S4 with lateral bands of white setae on apical margins; S5 weakly to moderately downcurved in profile. Male: Pygidial plate of moderate size, weakly keyhole shaped, with weak basal transverse ridge; S2–S3 with apical bands of white setae; S4–S5 with apical fringes of brown setae (S4 sometimes with small patch of white setae on apicolateral margin).
Comments.—This species strongly resembles T. georgicus, but in T. atripes the clypeus is flattened and has a robust midline; the mesepisternum is more densely punctured and the integument between the punctures is raised and slightly tuberculate in appearance; and in the females, the paramedian band does not reach the anterior margin of the mesoscutum, the pseudopygidial area has an enlarged basal crescent of shining setae, and S5 is slightly more downcurved. Triepeolus atripes is also similar to T. donatus and T. rugosus, but unlike the latter two species, T. atripes has a relatively short clypeus and lacks the long, erect, simple setae on the mesepisternum.
There are two female specimens from Pennsylvania, Coleman Park, that were identified as T. atripes by Mitchell (one is a paratype); however, I tentatively identify these specimens as T. cressonii, albeit with somewhat paler than usual yellow banding. Triepeolus atripes can be distinguished from T. cressonii by the pale gray to white colored bands, and the nearly entirely black integument (as opposed to pale yellow bands, usually with at least some areas of red integument on the legs and face in T. cressonii).
Distribution.—USA: Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia.
Floral Records.—Aster lateriflorus [= Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (L.) A.& D. Löve var. lateriflorum], A. pilosus [= Symphyotrichum pilosum (Willd.) Nesom var. pilosum], Chrysopsis mariana (L.) Ell., C. microcephala [= Pityopsis graminifolia (Michx.) Nutt. var. tenuifolia (Torr.) Semple & Bowers], Helianthus sp., and Solidago sp.
Seasonal Records.—2 July to 4 November.
Specimens examined.—44 female, 31 male (AUSTIN, DAVIS, ITHACA, LAWRENCE, LAWRENCE-BAKER, NEW YORK, RALEIGH, SAN FRANCISCO, STARKVILLE, URBANA, WASHINGTON D.C.).
Reprinted with permission from: Mitchell, T.B. 1962 Bees of the Eastern United States. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin No. 152.
FEMALE—Length 10 mm.; entirely black, including antennae, tubercles, tegulae, legs and spurs; space between margin of vertex and lateral ocelli considerably less than their diameter; basal segment of flagellum considerably shorter than segment 2, median segments considerably longer than broad; cheeks very narrow, little more than one-third width of eye, somewhat more narrowed below, posterior margin carinate; median length of labrum nearly two-thirds the breadth, apical margin with a pair of minute, submedian denticles; posterior margin of scutelluni quite strongly outcurved, broadly impressed medially, free part of axillae extending considerably from sides of seutellum, reaching somewhat beyond mid transverse line (fig. 112); wings lightly infuscated, with the usual three submarginal cells, veins piceous; face with a small amount of silvery tomentum between bases of antennae and eyes, pubescence otherwise rather short, thin and erect, but practically absent from lower part of face; margin of pronotum with rather dense whitish tomentum, and tubercles with a similar fringe; pleura with a narrow, transverse patch of white tomentum above; scutum with a pair of narrow, longitudinal lines of white tomentum toward anterior margin medially, lateral margins narrowly fringed, and scutellomesothoracic suture with some very short, inconspicuous, whitish hairs; metanotum and adjacent margin of scutellum rather densely whitish fasciate, with a tuft of elongate, white hairs on each end behind wing bases; propodeum rather thinly white fasciate along margins of basal triangle and at extreme sides above; basal abdominal tergum with a median, transverse patch of black tomentum, this bordered basally by whitish tomentuin, and apical margin with a whitish fascia which is slightly interrupted medially and narrowly joined to the basal tomenturn on each extreme side; terga 2-4 with apical, transverse, tomentose fasciae, and tergum 2 with a quadrangular patch of pale tomentum on each extreme side, joining the apical fascia which is sub- interrupted medially; tergum 5 with a triangular patch of short pale tomentum on each side of pseudopygidium; tegulae minutely and closely punctate on inner margins, becoming impunctate along outer rim; punctures of face above antennae quite deep and distinct but rather fine and close, becoming somewhat finer and quite regular on cheeks below, face below antennae very densely and minutely rugoso-punctate, clypeus with an indefinite, median, shining line; scutum rather coarsely rugoso-punctate, with only scattered, indefinite, shining interspaces evident between punctures, scutellum and axillae somewhat more rugose; pleura below shining between rather coarse, deep and distinct punctures which are slightly but not widely separated, becoming quite densely rugoso-punctate above; discs of abdominal terga very finely, closely and regularly punctate beneath the black tomentum; median length of pseudopygidium about equal to the width, very broadly rounded or subtruncate apically, apical half covered with short, erect bristles, basal half with dense, pale yellowish tomentum, the two areas in sharp contrast; sternum 5 broadly convex as seen from beneath.
MALE—Resembles female in most details; venter of thorax with considerable dense, appressed, whitish tomentum; outer surface of tibiae quite densely white tomentose; segments of flagellum somewhat shorter, not much longer than broad; abdominal terga 5 and 6 with dense, whitish, apical fasciae; sterna 4 and 5 with subapical fringes of long, curved setae; pygidial plate strongly elevated above disc of tergum 7, apical part beyond transverse ridge somewhat triangular, with narrowly rounded apex, margin subcarinate, surface with a few shallow, obscure pits, the more basal area densely fine tomentose.
TYPES—Holotype: Female, Holly Shelter, Pender Co., N. C., Oct. 18, 1952. Allotype: Savanna at Burgaw, N. C., Oct. 23, 1957, on Heliant hue (both Mitchell). Paratypes: 2 9 9, topotypical; 1 9, Sampson Co., N. C., Nov. 4, 1957 (on Aster); 1 9, Clayton, N. C., Oct. 4, 1959; 1 , Southern Pines, N. C., Sep. 30, 1951 (on Aster) (all Mitchell) Fall author’s coil.]; 1 2, Demarest, Ga., Sep. 20, 1921 [Cornell Univ.]; 1 2, Colerain Park, Pa.. Sep. 5, 1954 (S. W. Frost).
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