Bombus terrestris en Marrubium supinum

Bees as a group are known for their important role in pollination world wide. We distinguish three functional groups within bees in addition to other hymenopterans (e.g., ants. First, honeybee (Apis mellifera) is a colonial, efficient forager, very good recruiter, efficient at at depleting nectar and pollen. It is interesting to note that in Yucatan we found Africanized bees that ere even more efficient than the "European" morph at foraging, and move in groups.

Bumblebees (Bombus sp.) and other big bees (e.g., Xylocopa, Antophora) were grouped by, in addiction to their large body size, being endothermic consequently exhibiting a wide temperature range of activity, and being very efficient foragers collecting pollen and nectar.

Small sized bees were grouped together by being mostly solitary and ectothermic, being active within a narrow temperature range. Usually they fly fastly among flowers, entering within them for collecting pollen and nectar, and consequently establishing good contact good anthers and stigma. Some of the most representative examples in this group are species from Lassioglosum, Andrena, Hylaeus and Ceratina genus, among others.