Perdita (genus)

Perdita is a large genus of bees native to North America, particularly diverse in the desert regions of the United States and Mexico. There are over 700 recognized species and subspecies of Perdita, plus some 200 more as yet unnamed. Perdita are usually quite small (2.0 mm to 10.0 mm) and often brightly colored with metallic reflections and/or yellow or white markings. The genus was extensively treated by P.H. Timberlake who, in addition to T.D.A. Cockerell, described most of the known species. Most species are extreme specialists (oligoleges) with respect to pollen and will only collect pollen from a few closely related species or genera of plants.