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Leafcutters and Masons: Bees in the Megachilidae

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Leafcutters and Masons: Bees in the Megachilidae

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Leafcutters and Masons: Bees in the Megachilidae

April 8, 2019

Bees in the Megachilidae family are found throughout the entire growing season, and across every habitat at MPG Ranch.

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Wild bergamont flowers (Mondarda fistulosa) dwarf a tiny member of the Megachilidae.

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Osmia montana, which specializes on flowers in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), is the most abundant mason bee in the genus Osmia found at MPG Ranch.

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Osmia are medium-sized, spring-flying bees. They have sparse hairs on their heads and thoraxes, and are dark-colored - usually black, bluish, or metallic green or blue.

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The genus Osmia contains specialist and generalist species. Of the specialists, some may forage on a single family or even genus of plant, others may specialize on two or more plant familie

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MK photo A brilliant green Osmia visits non-native white clover (Trifolium repens). Traditional grass lawns are unsuitable habitat for native bees and deprive them of food and nesting resources.

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This Hoplitis mason bee makes use of a garden lavender at my house in the Sapphire Mountains.

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Several small-to-tiny bees in the Megachilidae genera Ashmeadiella, Hoplitis, Chelostoma, and Heriades, can be difficult to differentiate in the field.

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The leafcutters in the genus Megachile are medium-sized bees common later in summer. Female leafcutters use their huge mandibles to clip circular pieces of leaves or petals, which they use to line their nests

https://www.facebook.com/MPGWildlife/videos/338944930173111/

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Male leafcutter bees (genus Megachile) often have long, light-colored hairs on their front legs, and have a blunt-looking, rounded-off abdomen.

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Megachile leafcutter bees are solitary nesters, meaning they do not share a nest with others, but they may nest in “aggregations” – in close proximity to other bee nests of the same species.

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Bees in the genus Dianthidium (below) are often mistaken for wasps due to their striking black and yellow color patterning and relative hairlessness.

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Not all bees collect pollen and construct nests for their offspring. Cuckoo bees are kleptoparasites – they lay their eggs in the nests of other bees

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List of bee species in the Megachilidae found at MPG Ranch

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