Australian bee species that open flower buds

Video recordings have been used to document examples of bee species that forage by manipulating unopened valvate flower buds. The cases shown fall into three categories: 1) sealed buds that are opened only with significant effort; 2) mature buds that open readily when disturbed and 3) buds that open progressively. The two bee species shown opening buds of type 1 are apparently oligolectic and are seldom found on any other flower. Those visiting straight-styled <i>Banksia </i>flowers (type 2) range from apparently oligolectic (<i>Euhesma banksia</i>) to polylectic and the polylectic species (<i>Lasioglossum erenaean</i>) visiting <i>Eremophila</i> is included to demonstrate how easily foraging from partially open flowers could evolve into bud opening behviour. bicolorellus.mp4: shows a female <i>Hylaeus (Sphaerhylaeus) bicolorellus</i> opening buds of <i>Lambertia formosa</i> on 5 Jan 2005 at Marramarra NP, NSW and 1 Feb 2005 at Ku-Ring-Gai Chase NP, NSW. hypoleucus.mp4: shows a female <i>Hylaeus (Pseudhylaeus) hypoleucus</i> opening buds of <i>Persoonia pinifolia </i>on 21 Dec 2004 at Berowra Valley NP, NSW. alcyoneus.mp4: shows a female <i>Hylaeus (Macrohylaeus) alcyoneus</i> opening buds of <i>Banksia aemula </i>on 3 May 2004 at Bouddi NP, NSW. littleri.mp4: shows a female <i>Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) littleri</i> opening buds of <i>Banksia aemula </i>on 3 May 2004 at Bouddi NP, NSW. banksia.mp4: shows a female <i>Euhesma (Euhesma) banksia</i> opening buds of <i>Banksia marginata </i>on 16 Apr 2004 at Royal NP, NSW. perhumilis.mp4: shows a female <i>Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) perhumilis</i> opening buds of <i>Banksia integrifolia</i> on 17 Mar 2008 at Cook Park, Ramsgate, NSW. eremaean.mp4: shows a female <i>Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) eremaean</i> opening buds of <i>Eremophila sturtii</i> on 4 Oct 2004 at Menindee, NSW.