masked bee
The scape is the first segment of the antenna. Usually it is longer than other segments, but about the same width. In this case it is hugely swollen and flattened.
Hylaeus (Xenohylaeus) leptospermi
Size
Identifying Characteristics
Females (and some males) in this subgenus have a fine raised line down the middle of the lower face. Males have large depressions between the eyes and the antennae and the antennal scapes are swollen and flattened. Hylaeus leptospermi has a collar that is not swollen and has small yellow marks on either side. Females have large yellow face marks. Males have hair tufts in the middle of the face just below the antennal sockets.
Distinctive Features
The females of some species have yellow on the hind legs, but in H. leptospermi they are entirely black.
Flower Visiting Records
| Daviesia spp. | Dillwynia sericea | Jacksonia scoparia |
| Leptospermum sp. (single record) | Pultenaea spp. |
Taxonomy
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Colletidae |
| Genus: | Hylaeus |
| Subgenus: | Xenohylaeus |
| Species: | leptospermi |