Brown-winged Long-horned Bee
Melissodes comptoides
This record describes Melissodes comptoides (species). Recorded family: Apidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Trigonaloidea
- Family
- Apidae (Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees)
- Subfamily
- Apinae
- Tribe
- Eucerini
- Genus
- Melissodes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arizona, Colorado and South Dakota, east to New Jersey and Florida Discover Life Map
Seasonal Activity
April to October
Diet and Behavior
Diet: The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known associations based on specimen records and images.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Melissodes comptoides. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Brown-winged Long-horned Bee (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by John S. Ascher; Additional contributions by cotinis , Beatriz Moisset , hg , lee_penner
Frequently Asked Questions About Brown-winged Long-horned Bee
How big is Brown-winged Long-horned Bee?
Female: 12.5-13. Male 10-13mm
Where is Brown-winged Long-horned Bee found?
Range: Arizona, Colorado and South Dakota, east to New Jersey and Florida Discover Life Map
What does Brown-winged Long-horned Bee eat?
The diet of the Brown-winged Long-horned Bee includes The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known associations based on specimen records and images..
When is Brown-winged Long-horned Bee active?
Brown-winged Long-horned Bee: seasonal activity - April to October.