Stelis punctulatissima

• Scientific name: Stelis punctulatissima
• Common name: banded dark bee
• Dimension: 8-11 mm
• Habitat: woodland edges, clearings, riverbanks, sand, gravel and clay pits, uncultivated land and abandoned areas, gardens and parks; from the plains to mountainous regions
• Behavior: cuckoo bees
• Nest: nests of other parasitic bees
• Parasitized species: various species, including Anthidium florentinum and Anthidium oblongatum, as well as other genera such as Megachile, Chelostoma and Osmia
• Red list of bees in Switzerland: not endangered

Interesting Facts:

The banded dark bee's larvae have dagger-shaped mandibles, which they use to eliminate the host larva immediately after hatching. They then consume their pollen supply, pupate and spend the winter inside the host's nest.