Adults are roughly 10–14 mm long.
Fine-art photographic collection
Melissodes desponsus
A thistle specialist whose males wear antennae almost as long as their bodies.
About this species
Eastern Thistle Longhorn Bee
Melissodes desponsusSmith, 1854
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Melissodes desponsus is a North American solitary bee closely associated with native thistles. Females dig nests in the ground; males patrol flowers and sleeping sites with exceptionally long antennae.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Apidae · Melissodes
Accepted taxon. · checked 2026-07-15
Eastern and central North AmericaBroad range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Eastern and central North America
Prairies, old fields, roadsides and other sunny places supporting native Cirsium thistles and bare soil.
A late-summer bee, active during the flowering period of its host thistles.
Females collect pollen chiefly from native thistles; adults also take nectar.
Solitary ground-nester, sometimes in loose aggregations.
What makes this species remarkable?
Females are pollen specialists on native thistles, so the bee’s flight season is timed to a narrow burst of Cirsium flowering rather than to summer flowers in general.
The male’s extraordinarily long antennae are sensory organs used while locating females and assessing chemical cues around flowers and sleeping aggregations.
At night males may clamp their jaws onto a stem and sleep suspended from the plant, sometimes forming small groups that remain exposed until morning.
Sources and scientific references
- GBIF — taxon record/search for Melissodes desponsus
- Catalogue of Life — taxon search for Melissodes desponsus
- Sharpeatmanguides — long-horned bees of New York, including Melissodes desponsus
- Ohio State University species profile for Melissodes desponsus
- Discover Life — Melissodes desponsus host and distribution data