Colletes larreae Timberlake 1951

Colletes larreae Timberlake

This is an uncommon species having been taken on Larrea primarily at Palm Springs, Riverside County, California, in March and April. Timberlake records a male collected in May from Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus on the Mojave Desert (Lovejoy Buttes) and another male obtained from Barbarea orthoceras at Tetley Park in the San Bernardino Mountains, California. Stephen (1954) also records the species from Olancha, Inyo County, California, and Wellton, Arizona. In the city of Palm Springs, California, during the spring of 1974 (April) we encountered both sexes of this species at the flowers of Larrea, and all of the females were collecting pollen. In spite of the Tetley Park record, this species is regarded by us as an oligolege of Larrea. Flight records extend from 20 March to 20 May.