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Glite Dictionary
alkali bee

alkali bee

8.9
A solitary bee from the western United States that pollinates alfalfa
  • noun
  • /ˈæl.kə.laɪ bi/
  • US
translation icon : abeja alcalina
  • Unlike honeybees, the alkali bee is a solitary pollinator that nests underground.

Examples

  • The alkali bee is often used by farmers to improve alfalfa seed production.

  • Because the alkali bee prefers salty soils, it thrives in certain agricultural regions of the western U.S.

  • The alkali bee is crucial for alfalfa production.

  • Many farmers rely on the alkali bee for pollination.

  • The alkali bee is an important pollinator for alfalfa crops in the western United States.

  • Farmers have noticed that the alkali bee significantly increases their alfalfa yields.

  • In certain regions, the alkali bee is essential for the pollination of flowering plants.

Synonyms

Nomia melanderi
vsalkali bee
  • Specialized
9.9

A solitary bee that pollinates alfalfa crops in the western United States

is the common name for the same species used in western United States

Surface Forms

alkali bee singular
alkali bees plural

Morphology

alkali + bee

The noun is directly compositional: 'alkali' (alkaline salts/soils) + 'bee' denotes a bee associated with alkali soils, so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a species of bee linked to alkaline habitats and likely involved in pollination. This habitat-based naming pattern for animals is cross-linguistically common, making the expression immediately predictable to B1 learners.

Etymology

Alkali bee: The name alkali bee comes from where the insect lives — alkali is a word for 'very salty ground', and the bee digs its nest in that soil and likes those salty fields. That's why alkali bee refers to a kind of bee that lives in alkaline, salty soil and is important for pollinating crops.