Melitta eickworti
This record describes Melitta eickworti (species). Recorded family: Melittidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wikipedia reference for Melitta eickworti: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melitta_eickworti.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Trigonaloidea
- Family
- Melittidae (Melittid Bees)
- Subfamily
- Melittinae
- Tribe
- Melittini
- Genus
- Melitta
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
e.US
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Pollen specialist on Vaccinium ( Polycodium )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Melitta eickworti Snelling & Stage 1995
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Melitta eickworti. 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 Melitta eickworti (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , John S. Ascher , v belov , PaleoJon