Aglae is a genusofeuglossinebees, with the only described species Aglae caerulea. Like all orchid bees, it is restricted to the Neotropics. They are metallic blue. This species, like the genus Exaerete, is a nest parasite on free-living Euglossini. A. caerulea lays its eggs in the nests of Eulaema nigrita, and possibly other Eulaema species.
Among other substances, males of this species are attracted by methyl cinnamate baits.[1]
The Ancient Greek, Αγλαιη means "beauty". The original 1825 publication describing the species spelled the epithet as『cœrulea』(for "blue"), which nearly all subsequent authors misspelled as caerulea rather than coerulea, but under Article 33.3.1 of the ICZN, the caerulea spelling must be maintained.[note 1]
^dos Anjos-Silva, Evandson J.; Camillo, Evandro & Garófalo, Carlos A. (2006): Occurrence of Aglae caerulea Lepeletier & Serville (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) in the Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Neotrop. Entomol.35(6) doi:10.1590/S1519-566X2006000600024
Williams, Norris H. & Whitten, W. Mark (1983): Orchid floral fragrances and male euglossine bees: methods and advances in the last sesquidecade. Biol. Bull.164: 355–395.
^ICZN Code "33.3.1. when an incorrect subsequent spelling is in prevailing usage and is attributed to the publication of the original spelling, the subsequent spelling and attribution are to be preserved and the spelling is deemed to be a correct original spelling."
Cameron, Sydney A. (2004): Phylogeny and Biology of Neotropical Orchid Bees (Euglossini). Annual Review of Entomology49: 377–404. doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.49.072103.115855
