A mostly black bee, about 1/2 inch (12 mm) long with a white-banded abdomen. Antennae are black with reddish/brown color at the base. Legs are reddish/brown. Wings are slightly tinted, tips darker, veins black or dark brown. Segment 1 of the abdomen is mostly white with a black triangle, open at the bottom. Segments 2 through 5 have solid bands of white in the male and yellowish in the female.
The normal distribution of this bee is Nebraska and Texas eastward. It is common in eastern Nebraska. Adults can be found nectaring on flowers. Photos 1 and 2 were taken in September 2017 in the restored butterfly garden in the Fontenelle Forest wetlands. Photo 3 was taken in July 2014 in Fontenelle Forest. Photo 4 was taken in the wetlands butterfly garden in 2020.
This bee is a kleptoparasite of the long-horned bee Melissodes bimaculata. Adult female lays her egg in the brood chamber of the host, larva hatches and eats the provisions provided by the host for its young. All of the 108 species in the genus Triepeolus in North America are known to be kleptoparasites of Melissodes sp. bees.
The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Loren Padelford.