The Cactus Bee is a robust, furry bee of the desert Southwest specialized to pollinate prickly pear and cholla cacti, emerging precisely when its host cacti bloom. It is a buzz pollinator, vibrating its flight muscles to release cactus pollen, and its thoracic hair is perfectly designed to pick up prickly pear's powdery pollen. Females nest in the ground near cactus patches.
Habitat
Cactus flats and desert scrub of the Southwest
Diet
Adults and larvae: cactus pollen and nectar
How common
Uncommon
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