Euglossa bazinga is a euglossine bee species found in Brazil. It is named after the catchphrase of the fictional character Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the television show The Big Bang Theory. It was previously misidentified as Euglossa ignita, and is threatened with habitat loss.
Euglossines are also called orchid bees or long-tongued bees. They belong to a large group of brightly colored bees important to the
ecology of New World tropical forests. Color combinations include
metallic blues, greens, and bronzes. They are noted for their long
tongues and their role in the pollination
of over 700 species of tropical orchids. Euglossines pollinate many
flowers in the forest understory, but they also visit species in the
forest canopy such as lianas and emergent trees.
For bees, they are not all that social ... hence, perhaps, the connection with Sheldon Cooper?
My 'big brother' is the authority on orchids; I bet he could tell you/us about this bee.
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