Orchid Bee

Living jewels of metallic green and blue. Males collect fragrances from orchids to attract females, becoming essential pollinators for hundreds of Panamanian orchid species.

Euglossa imperialis is one of the most common orchid bees (euglossines) in the lowlands of Panama. These solitary bees stand out for their bright metallic green exoskeleton, making them look like winged jewels. Males have a unique adaptation: they visit orchids and other flowers not to feed but to collect volatile aromatic compounds stored in special cavities in their hind legs. These fragrances act as pheromones to attract females. In doing so, they pollinate orchids in an extraordinary mutualistic relationship. Panama hosts over 50 species of euglossine bees, concentrated mainly in forests of Bocas del Toro, Darién, and the Canal Watershed.

Habitat

Lowland wet tropical forests throughout Panama