The history of the study of bees of the family Melittidae (Hymenoptera, Anthophila) in Russia

A comprehensive review of 136 papers concerning all aspect of the study of bees of the family Melittidae in Russia is presented. It was found that eight new species and one new subspecies were described from the territory of the Russian Federation, of which only one species was synonymized. To date, 28 species of melittids are known in the Russian fauna, but some large regions remain very unevenly and incompletely (if at all) studied. Biology and nesting are described for only four species. Melittids are characterized by narrow ranges of trophic links, but most of them have not been studied enough, and in eight species are unknown.