A Preliminary Account of the Bees of Colombia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea): Present Knowledge

and Future Directions

Author(s): Allan H. Smith-Pardo
Reviewed work(s):
Source: Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, Vol. 76, No. 2 (Apr., 2003), pp. 335-341
Published by: Allen Press on behalf of Kansas (Central States) Entomological Society
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 JOURNAL OF THE KANSAS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
76(2), 2003, pp. 335-341

A Preliminary Account of the Bees of Colombia (Hymenoptera:

Apoidea): Present Knowledge and Future Directions

Allan H. Smith-Pardo

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Division of Entomology,

Natural History Museum, Snow Hall, 1460 Jayhawk Boulevard,
University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7523

abstract: An account of the present knowledge of the bee fauna of Colombia is given. Al
though substantial work has been done on the bees of the world as a whole, there are few works on
the bees of Colombia, and most of them focus on identification of the species of the few groups
(mostly meliponines) for which there are specimens in local collections. Other works include some
regional surveys and some ecological or behavior (nesting and foraging) studies. An updated list of
the species of bees currently known is presented, along with some suggestions for future studies of
Colombian bees.
key words: Wild bees, Apoidea, Colombia, survey, checklist

resumen: Se presenta una descripci?n del estado actual de conocimiento de las abejas de Colom
bia. A pesar del trabajo substancial que se ha hecho en las abejas del mundo como un todo, existen
relativamente pocos trabajos en las abejas de Colombia, muchos de los cuales se centran en la iden
tificaci?n de las especies de ciertos grupos (principalmente meliponinos) para los cuales existen es
pec?menes en las colecciones locales. Otros trabajos incluyen inventarios regionales y algunos es
tudios ecol?gicos o de comportamiento (nidificaci?n y pecoreo). Se presenta una lista actualizada
de las especies de abejas conocidas actualmente, adem?s de algunas sugerencias para trabajos fu
turos en el estudio de las abejas colombianas.
palabras claves: Abejas silvestres, Apoidea, Colombia, Inventarios, Lista

Although general knowledge on the bees has advanced greatly in the last decades, there are
few works on the bee fauna of Colombia, few people work with the bees of this region, and
most of information is based upon identifications made by international specialists and through
generic revisions of groups that are present in the country. Regional studies do not offer a
broad view of the of a group, in this case of the bees. However, after
systematics compre
hensive revisions are completed local treatments may be useful for Colombians interested in
what is present in their country. Especially for those working with other organisms (e.g., plants
and their pollinatiors), basic knowledge of what species occur in Colombia is important.
Nates-Parra (1993) highlighted the dearth of information on the native bees of Colom
bia. She referred in the same paper to the described species of the country, and recently
Nates-Parra and Gonzales (2000) discussed the first studies on Colombian bees. Starting
in the 1970's more work has been done on the apoid fauna of Colombia, principally con
on surveys and the identification of for some at either
centrating species groups regional
or levels, not to mention the considerable amount of work on the African
country-wide
honey bee after its invasion in the early 1980's. Many of the studies on wild bees in Colom
bia were the product of a few workers, bachelors theses, or papers. Some re
unpublished
main as theses in university libraries or have been published in local journals, items diffi
cult (if not impossible) to obtain in countries other than Colombia. Some of the papers and
theses on bees of Colombia (excluding those pertaining solely to Apis) not discussed by
Nates-Parra (1993), Smith-Pardo (1999a) or Nates-Parra and Gonzales (2000) include: Fer
nandez (1995), Nates-Parra (1995, 1996), and Smith-Pardo (1999b).
336 JOURNAL OF THE KANSAS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Table 1. Bees found in Colombia ["spp." indicates more than one species, "sp." indicates only one species;
numbers in parentheses correspond to morphospecies from survey of Porce; "n/a" is used when there are no data
for the category] .

Family COLLETIDAE (23 identified species)

Subfamily Colletinae (3 identified species)

Colletini: Collet?s inflatus, C. off. inflatus (4), C. costaricensis, C spp. (2).
Paracolletini: Eulonchopria (Ethalonchopria) sp., E. (Eulonchopria) psaenythoides; Lonchopria {Biglossa) sp.

Subfamily Diphaglossinae (8 identified species)

Caupolicanini: Caupolicana {Caupolicana) sp., C. {Zikanapis) modesta, Ptiloglossa P. buchwaldi, P. cyaniven
tris, P. fassli, P. steinheili, P. trichotricha, P. spp.
Diphaglossini: Cadegualina andina.
Dissoglottini: Mydrosoma opalinum.

Subfamily Hylaeinae (none of the species identified)

Hylaeus {Gongyloprosopis) sp., H. {Hylaeana) sp., H. {Hylaeopsis) sp., H. (n/a) spp. (8).

Subfamily Xeromelissinae (12 identified species)

Chilicola {Anoediscelis) C. (A.) colombiana,

ashmeadi, C. {A.) wygodzinskyi, C. {Hylaeosoma) aequatoriensis,
C. {H.) umbonata, C. {H.) canei, C. {H.) belli, C. {H.) smithpardoi, C. {Oreodiscelis) brooksi, C. (0.) transver
saria, C. {O.) gibbosa, C. (0.) brzoskai.

Family ANDRENIDAE (3 identified species)

Subfamily Oxaeinae (1 identified species)

Oxaea flavescens.

Subfamily Panurginae (2 identified species)

Calliopsini: Acamptopoeum colombiensis, A. submetallicum.

Family HALICTIDAE (95 identified species)

Subfamily Halictinae (95 identified species)

Augochlorini: Attdinaugochlora joannisi, A. sp.; Ariphanarthra palpalis (M. S. Engel, unpubl. data); Au
gochlora (n/a) cordiaefloris, A. cosmetor, A. engys, A. laenifrons, A. myrrhites, A. off. moorae {I), A. nominata,
A. off. nominata (1), A. repandirostris, A. rhodei, A. spp. (23), A. {Augochlora) bogotensis, A. (A.) dorsualis, A.
(A.) esox, A. {A.)feronia, A. {A.)foxiana, A. (A.) nigrocyanea, A. (A.) quiriguensis, A. (A.) sidaefoliae, A. (A.) sp.,
A. {Oxystoglossella) ectasis, A. (0.) morrae, A (0.) thalia, A (0.) sp.; Augochlorella comis, A. edentata, A. tre
decim, A. neglectula; Pereirapis semiaurata; Augochloropsis (n/a) anquisita, A. aurifluens, A. auriventris, A. cal
lichroa, A. cleopatra, A . off. fulusfimbriata (1), A. illustris, A. metallica, A. pallitarsis, A. toralis, A. spp. (5), A.

{Augochloropsis) notophos, A. (A.) spp., A. {Paraugochloropsis ) cupreola, A. {P.) vesta; Caenaugochlora (n/a)
spp. (2), C. {Caenaugochlora) gemmella, C. (C) off. gemmella (1), C. (C.) perpectinata, C. (C) jeffreyi, C. {Cte

naugochlora) sp.; Chlerogella spp. (M. S. Engel, unpubl. data) (1); Chlerogelloides femoralis; Chlerogas colom
biensis, C. nephos; Ischnomelissa zonata, I. cyanea; Megalopta {Megalopta) amoena, M. {M.) ecuadoria, M. (M.)
off. ecuadoria {\),M. (M.) genalis, M. (M.) nitidicollis, M. spp.; Megaloptidia nocturna; Megaloptilla callopis;
Megommation {Megommation) insigne, M. {Stilbochlora) eickworti; Neocorynura caligans, N. colombiana, N.

cuprifrons, N. pseudobaccha, N. pubescens, N. spp. (12); Neocorynurella seeleyi, N. sp.; Pseudaugochlora gram
inae, P. off. sordicutis (1); Rhinocorynura bris?is; Temnosoma smaragdinum, T. spp. (2).
Agapostemonini: Agapostemon ascius, A. intermedius, A. leunculus, A. nasutus, A. semimelleus; Agaposte
monoides hurdi.
Caenohalictini: Caenohalictus columbus, C. eberhardorum, C. lindigi, C. modestus, C. moritzi, C. spp. (1);
Habralictus {Habralictus) bimaculatus, H. (//.) xanthinus, H. {H.) canalictulatus, H. spp. (5).
Halictini: Halictus {Halictus) ligatus, H. {Seladonia) hesperus, H. {S.) lutescens; Lasioglossum {Dialictus)
breedi, L. {D.) chrysonotus, L. {D.) guianensis, L. {D.) nanus, L. {D.) osmioides, L. {D.)picadensis, L. {D.) seabrai,
L. {D.) umbripennis, L. {D.) spp (17); Microsphecodes kathleenae, M. trichomus, M. truncaticaudus, M.
VOLUME 76, ISSUE 2 337

Table 1. Continued.

sp. (1); Paragapostemon (Paragapostemon) gigas, P. (P.) serraticornis; Rhinetula dentricus; Sphecodes (Aus
trosphecodes) bogotensis, S. (n/a) spp.(l).

Family MEGACHILIDAE (20 identified species)

Subfamily MEGACHILINAE (20 identified species)

Anthidiini: Anthidium (Anthidium) sp.; Anthodioctes calcaratum,
(Anthodioctes) A. (A.) mapirense, A. (A.)

spp.(l); Epanthidium (Epanthidium) sp.; Hoplostelis (Austrostelis) sp.; H. (Hoplostelis) sp.; Hypanthidiodes
(n/a) off. panamensis (1), spp.(l), H.(Anthidulum) sp., H. (Dieranthidium) sp., H. (Saranthidium) sp.; Hypan
thidium (n/a) off. mexicanum (1), H. (Hypanthidium) spp.
Megachilini: Coelioxys (n/a) assumptions, C. off. assumptions, C. off. mexicana (1), C. spp. (3), C. (Acro
coelioxys) sp., C. (Cyrtocoelioxys) sp., C (Glyptocoelioxys) sp., C. (Haplocoelioxys) sp., C. (Neocoelioxys) spp.,
C. (Platycoelioxys) sp., C. (Rhinocoelioxys) spp.; Megachile (n/a) q# an?mala (2), M. arews, M. bankai, M. ?ff.
benigna (2), M. clara, M. cartagenensis, M. colombiana, M. fruticosa, M. furcata, M. hamata, M. heamatoxy
lonae, M. indigoferae, M. laeta, M. lorensiensis, M. praecipua, M. aff. pulchra (\),M. scapularis, M. ajf. toluca
(2), M. trepida, M. zaptlana, M. spp. (12), M. (Cressoniella) crassipes, M. (Pseudocentron) sp.

Subfamily LITHURGINAE (0 identified species)

LiTHURGlNi: Lithurgus (Lithurgopsis) sp?.

Family APIDAE (325 indemnified species)

Subfamily APINAE (284 identified species)

Anthophorini: Anthophora (Mystacanthophora) sp.
Apini: Apis mellifera.
Bombini: Bombus (Fervidobombus) nigrens, B. (F.) exellens, B. (F) pullatus, B. (F) transi'ersalis, B. (Fune
bribombus) funebris, B. (Robustobombus) hortulanus, B. (R.) melaleucus, B. (R.) robustus, B. (R.) rubicundus.
Centridini: Centris (n/a) aff. fusciventris (1), C. inermis, C. labrosa, C. obscurior, C. (Centris) flavifrons, C.
(Hemisiella) dichrootricha, C. (H.) transversa, C. (H.) vittata, C. (Heterocentris) bicornuta, C. (H.) difformis,
C. (Melanocentris) deiopeia, C. (M.) aff. muesary, C. (Ptilocentris) festiva, C. (Ptilotopus) americanorum, C.
(Tachina) longimana, C. (T.) similis, C. (Xanthemisia) bicolor, C. (X.) lutea, C (X.) rubella; Epicharis (n/a) al
bofasciata, E. (Epicharana) rustica, E. (Epicharis) spp., E. (Epicharitides) maculata, E. (E.) spp. (2), E. (Ho
plepicharis) monozona, E. (Parepichalis) matatarsalis, E. (P.) zonata.
Emphorini: Ancyloscelis apiformis, A. spp. (1); Diadasia sp., Melitoma sp.
Ericrocidini: Acanthopus splendida;
Aglaomelissa duckei; Ctenioschelus goryi; Mesocheira bicolor; Meso
plia (n/a) aff. rufipes (1), M. (Eumelissa) sp., M. (Mesoplia) spp. (2).
Eucerini: Florilegus (Euflorilegus) sp., F (Florilegus) sp., F (Floriraptor) ?tropos; Gaesischia (Gaesischiana)
exul; Melissodes spp. (3), M.(Ecplectica) sp.; Melissoptilia (Ptilomelissa) sp.; Peponapis (Peponapis) citrul
lina; Thygater (Thyg?ter) aethiops, T. (T) analis, T. (T) colombiana, T. (T.) crawfordi, T. (T.) cockerelli, T. (T.)
dispar, T. (T.) sp. (1), T. (Nectarodiaeta) melanotricha, T. (N.) nigropilosa.
Euglossini: Aglae caerulea; Eufriesea anisochlora, E. auripes, E. chrysopyga, E. concava, E. aff. concava (1),
E. dressleri, E. duckei, E. elegans, E. aff. elegans ( 1), E. excellens, E. fallax, E. flaviventris, E. formosa, E. fra
grocara, E. lucida, E. luc?fera, E. macroglossa, E. magrettii, E. mussitans, E. nigrescens, E. ornata, E. pretiosa,
E. pulchra, E. purpurata, E. rufocauda, E. schmidtiana, E. superba, E. surinamensis, E. theresiae, E. venezolana,
E. venusta, E. xantha; Euglossa (Euglossa) amaz?nica, E. (E.) analis, E. (E.) azureoviridis, E. (E.) bidentata, E.
(E.) championi, E. (E.) chlorina, E. (E.) cognata, E. (E.) cyanaspis, E. (E.) cybelia, E. (E.) deceptrix, E. (E.) aff.
deceptrix (1), E. (E.) despecta, E. (E.) aff. despecta (\),E. (E.) dissimula, E. (E.) dressleri, E. (E.) gaianii, E. (E.)
gibbosa, E. (E.) hansoni, E. (E.) hemichlora, E. (E.) aff. hemichlora, E. (E.) heterosticta, E. (E.) igniventris, E.
(E.) ioprosopa, E. (E.) liopoda, E. (E.) maculilabris, E. (E.) magnipes, E. (E.) mixta, E. (E.) modestior, E. (E.)
mourei, E. (E.) nigropilosa, E. (E.) retroviridis, E. (E.) townsendi, E. (E.) tridentata, E. (E.) variabilis, E. (E.) vil
losiventris,spp., E. (Euglossella) cyanura, E. (E.) perviridis, E. (E.) singularis, E. (E.) viridis, E. (E.) spp., E.
(Glossura) chalybeata, E. (G.) flammea, E. (G.) ?gnita, E. (G.) imperialis, E. (G.) intersecta, E. (G.) piliventris,
E. (G.) rugilabris, spp., E. (Glossurella) allosticta, E. (G.) asarophora, E. (G.) augaspis, E. (G.) bursigera, E. (G.)
crassipunctata, E. (G.) dodsoni, E. (G.) fuscifrons, E. (G.) gorgonensis, E. (G.) laevicincta, E. (G.) macrorhyn
cha, E. (G.) p?rvula, E. (G.) prasina, E. (G.) sapphirina, E. (G.) stilbonata, E. (G.) trinotata, E. (G.) turbinifex,
E. (G.) viridifrons, E. (G.) spp.; Eulaema (Apeulaema) boliviensis, E. (A.) cingulata, E. (A.) moesary, E. (A.)
 338 JOURNAL OF THE KANSAS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Table 1. Continued.

nig rita, E. (A.) polychroma, E. {Eulaema) bombiformis, E. {E.) chocoana, E. {E.) leucopyga, E. {E.) meriana, E.
{E.) peruviana, E. {E.) polyzona, E. {E.) seabrai, E. {E.) speciosa, E. {E.) sororia; Exaerete dentata, E.frontalis,
E. smaragdina, E. trochante rica.
ExoMALOPSiNi: Exomalopsis artifex, E. aff. fumipennis (1), E. {Exomalopsis) spp. (6), E. {Megomalopsis) spp.,
E. {Phanomalopsis) spp.
Isepeolini: Isepeolus viperinus, I. spp.
Meliponini: Cephalotrigona capitata, C. zexmeniae; Lestrimelitta aff. limao, L. spp.; Melipona anthidioides,
M. captiosa, M. compressipes compressipes, M. compressipes interrupta, M. compressipes oblitescens, M. com
pressipes salti, M. compressipes triplaridis, M. crinita, M. eb?rnea eb?rnea, M. eb?rnea fuscopilosa, M. fasci
ata cramptoni, M. fasciata indecisa, M. fasciata melanopleura, M. fasciata paraensis, M. favosa favosa, M.
favosa orbigny, M. favosa phenax, M. fuliginosa, M. fulva, M. grandis, M. marginata micheneri, M. merrillae,
M. nebulosa, M. nigrescens, M. panamica, M. puncticollis puncticollis, M. rufescens, M. rufiventris, M. semini
gra, M. aff. lateralis; Nannotrigona mellar?a, N. melanocera, N. testaceicornis perilamboides, N. schultzei;
Oxytrigona daemoniaca, O. mulfordi, O. mellicolor, O. tataira mediorufa, O. sp.; Partamona {Parapartamona)
brevipilosa, P. {P.) caliensis, P. {P.) fumata, P. imberbis, P.{P.) tungurahuana, P. {P.) vittigera, P {P.) zonata, P.
{Partamona) aequatoriana, P. {P.) cupira, P. {P.) peckolti musarum, P {P.) peckolti peckolti, P. {P.) pseudo
musarum, P. {P.) testacea; Paratrigona anduzei, P. eutaeniata, P. haeckeli, P. aff. incerta, P. lophocoryphe, P
nuda, P opaca, P pacifica, P peltata, P prosopiformis, P rinconii; Nogueirapis butteli, N. mirandula; Plebeia
{Plebeia) aff. flavocincta (1), P. {P.) franki, P. {P.) minima, P. {P.) frontalis, P. {P.) intermedia, P. {Scaura) lati
tarsis, P. {S.) longula, P. {S.) tenuis, P. {S.) timida; Scaptotrigona pectoralis, S. polysticta, S. limae, S. ochotricha,
S. pectoralis panamensis, S. aff. pectoralis (1), S. postica, S. xanthotricha; Tr?gona {Frieseomelitta) paupera, T.
{F.) varia, T. {Geotrigona) fulvohirta, T. (G.) subgrisea subfulva, T. (G.) subgrisea subgrisea,T. {Tetr?gono) lurida
occidentalis, T. {T.) clavipes, T. {T.) dorsalis, T. {T.) perangulata, T. {T.) goettei, T. {T.) handlirschil, T. {Tetra
gonisca) angustula, T. {Tr?gona) amalthea, T {T) amazonensis, T {T.) branneri, T {T.) cilipes, T. {T.) compressa,
T. {T.) corvina, T. {T.) crassipes, T. {T.) chanchamayoensis, T. {T.) dallatorreana, T {T.) dimidiata venezuelana,
T. {T.) ferricauda, T. {T.) fulviventris fulviventris, T {T.) fuscipennis, T {T.) hyalinata amazoensis, T. {T.) hyali
nata hyalinata, T. {T.) hypogea, T. {T.) mazucatoi, T. {T.) necrophaga, T. {T.) nigerrima, T. {T.)pallens, T. {T.) re
curso, T. {T.) setentrionalis, T. {T.) spinipes, T. {T.) truculenta, T. {T.) williana, T {T.) leucogastra, T. {T.) mu
zoensis; Trigonisca buyssoni, T. schulthessi.
Osirini: Osiris barrocoloradensis, O. mourei, O. panamensis, O. sp. (1); Protosiris aff. obtusus (1), P. spp. (1).
Protepeolini: Leiopodus spp.
Rhathymini: Rhathymus spp.
Tapinotaspidini: Monoeca sp.; Paratetrapedia (n/a) calcarata, P. aff. lineata (1), P. spp. (3), P. {Lophopedia)
sp., P. {Paratetrapedia) sp., P. {Tropidopedia) sp., P. {Xanthopedia) sp.
Tetrapedini: Coelioxoides sp., Tetrapedia spp. (1).

Subfamily NOMADINAE (2 identified species)

Epeolini: Epeolus spp.; Odyneropsis columbiana; Thalestria spinosa; Triepeolus spp. (2); Trophocleptria sp.
Nomadini: Nomada spp. (7); Hypochrotaenia sp.

Subfamily XYLOCOPINAE (39 identified species)

Ceratinini: Ceratina (1), C. laeta, C. placida, C. aff. trimaculata

aff. eximia (1), C. zeteki, C. spp. (11).
Xylocopini: Xylocopa {Megaxylocopa) fimbriata, X. {M.) frontalis, X. {Neoxylocopa) aeneipennis, X. {N.) au
rulenta, X. {N.) brasilianorum, X. {N.) chrysoptera, X. {N.) lachnea, X. {N.) mastrucata, X. {N.) mordax, X. {N.)
nasica, X. {N.) ocellaris, X. {N.) rotundiceps, X. {N.) similes, X. {N.) submordax, X. {N.) transitoria, X. {Notoxy
locopa) tabaniformis tabaniformis, X. {Schoenherria) anthophoroides, X. {S.) artifex, X. {S.) dimidiate, X. {S.)
electa, X. {S.) lateralis, X. {S.) lehmanni, X. {S.) lucida, X. {S.) macrops, X. {S.) maidli, X. {S.) metallica, X. {S.)
muscaria, X. {S.) ornate, X. {S.) pulchra, X. {S.) simillima, X. {S.) splendidula, X. {S.) subcyanea, X. {S.) sub
zonata, X. {S.) varions ecuadorica, X. {S.) varions varions, X. {S.) aff. varions (1), X. {S.) viridis.
VOLUME 76, ISSUE 2 339

Colombian Bee Diversity

Although there are estimates of 4500 (Fernandez, 1995) to 6000 (Nates-Parra and Gon
zales, 2000) species of bees for the Neotropics, there is no comparable number for the to
tal species in Colombia. This lack of knowledge on the bee fauna is a result of the scarcity
of systematists working in the country, and the sampling methods and concomitant num
ber of specimens in collections. Several lists of Colombian bees were derived from spec
imens deposited in Colombian collections (e.g., Fernandez, 1995), while others were based
on systematic surveys from specific locales in Colombia (Vasquez and Correa, 1976;
Peinado andTarazona, 1982; Cardona and Arango, 1983; Smith-Pardo, 1999a). One of the
first estimates of bee diversity was given by Nates-Parra (1993) based on the specimens
in the Laboratorio de abejas de la Universidad Nacional (Bee Laboratory of the National
University of Colombia) or LAB UN; Nates-Parra and her collaborators recorded about 339
species. Fernandez (1995) estimated 366 species and finally Nates-Parra and Gonzales
(2000) estimated 564 (species and morphospecies) based in a combination of the infor
mation in the LAB UN and the bee survey made by Smith-Pardo (1999b).
While the latter authors provided a list of species and depositories of type material for
many of those taxa, their list is incomplete. It lacks both species originally described from
neighboring countries (i.e., with type localities outside of Colombia) as well as some taxa
known only from Colombia.

Checklist of Colombian Bees

Herein I provide a list of bees occurring in Colombia (Table 1). This checklist is a mod
ification of previous ones, especially those by Fernandez (1995) and Nates-Parra and Gon
zales (2000), plus some additions made by Smith-Pardo (1999a), regional revisions and
checklists such as those made by Moure (1960), Camargo and Pedro (1992), Urban and
Moure (2001), Moure and Urban (2002), and taxonomic revisions of some groups of bees
present in Colombia such as those of Coelho (2001), Camargo and Roubik (1991), Ca
margo and Moure (1994), Kimsey (1979, 1982), Engel et al. (1997), Brooks and Engel
(1998, 1999), Engel and Brooks (1998, 1999a, b), Engel and Klein (1997), Engel (1997,
2000), and Michener (2002). This list contains 466 named species at present.

Future Prospects for Colombian Bees

To have a better understanding of the Colombian bee fauna, focus should be placed on
three main areas of and conservation. Research in these areas
study: systematics, ecology
will allow a better and of Colombian bee resources.
understanding preservation
In the area of systematics, it is critical to increase collecting efforts using all possible
methodologies (for a standard sampling methodology and reference of collecting meth
ods see Smith-Pardo, 1999a, b), in under-sampled Caribbean
especially regions (e.g.,
coast, main river basins, cloud forests far from city centers). Such work will increase and

improve our collections. Specimens should be deposited in well-established collections

such as those in public universities (e.g., Universidad Nacional inMedell?n and Bogot?,
Universidad del Valle) or in government environmental agencies (e.g., Instituto Von Hum
boldt, Coorporaciones Autonomas in each Departamento). Finally it is necessary to pro
mote systematic work, by recruiting and training additional students, sending material to
foreign institutions for authoritative identification, and inviting specialists to hold work
shops.
Once a strong systematic foundation is established further work must be done on the
ecology and natural history of Colombian wild bees, focusing especially on inter-specific
 340 JOURNAL OF THE KANSAS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

such as bee-bee interactions, bee and and rela

relationships parasites predators, bee-plant
tionships. This knowledge can then be applied to studies on the pollination of endangered
or
economically important plants.
Lastly, the preservation of Colombian wild bees is paramount. It is imperative to start
on conservation for bees and their so that bee conservation is a
working plans ecosystems
factor in the socio-economic development of Colombia. Interesting ideas on this can be
found on Kearns and Inouye (1997), Allen-Wardell et al. (1998), Kearns et al. (1998), and
Cane and Tepedino (2001).

Acknowledgments
I am grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their comments, to my advisor Dr. Michael

Engel for his comments and additional information for the species list, my former advi
sors Dr. Gilberto Morales-Soto and Dr. Clara Aguilar-Sierra for the help they gave me dur
ing my work in Porce, and to Dr. Charles Michener who also made valuable comments on

the manuscript. I dedicate this paper to Dr. Jerome G. Rozen, Jr., on the occasion of his
75th birthday. This is contribution Nr. 3304 of the Division of Entomology, Natural His
tory Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, of Kansas. was pro
University Support
vided by NSF DBI-0096905 (to J. S. Ashe and M. S. Engel) and NSF DEB-9972024 (to
M. Sharkey and B. V. Brown).

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