Megachile fidelis
Encyclopedia
Megachile fidelis, the faithful leafcutting bee, is a species of bee
in the Megachile
genus.
The bee ranges from Montana
and South Dakota
to New Mexico
, west to California
and north to Oregon
, and often inhabits meadows and gardens. The bee is black, but covered by golden/yellow hair on its face, behind its eyes, on its thorax
, below its wings (which are blackish) and on its legs. The pollen basket
of the species is located under its abdomen
. As often found with most bees, Megachile fidelis feeds on the nectar of flowers - particularly the nectar of composite flowers. The nests of M. fidelis are created in almost exactly the same fashion as, M. perihirta, the Western Leafcutting Bee
. However, adult bees do not leave their brood cells until all the cells between their cell and the end of the tunnel have been vacated. As with the case of many bees, larva grow extremely rapidly when in their brood cells. It is often found that this species of bee leave their nests around spring
.
The species was published by Ezra Townsend Cresson
in 1878.
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
in the Megachile
Megachile
The genus Megachile is a cosmopolitan group of solitary bees, often called leafcutter bees. While other genera within the family Megachilidae may chew leaves or petals into fragments to build their nests, certain species within Megachile neatly cut pieces of leaves or petals, hence their common name...
genus.
The bee ranges from Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
to New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, west to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and north to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, and often inhabits meadows and gardens. The bee is black, but covered by golden/yellow hair on its face, behind its eyes, on its thorax
Thorax
The thorax is a division of an animal's body that lies between the head and the abdomen.-In tetrapods:...
, below its wings (which are blackish) and on its legs. The pollen basket
Pollen basket
The pollen basket or corbicula is part of the tibia on the hind legs of the four related lineages of apid bees that used to comprise the family Apidae: the honey bees, bumblebees, stingless bees, and orchid bees...
of the species is located under its abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
. As often found with most bees, Megachile fidelis feeds on the nectar of flowers - particularly the nectar of composite flowers. The nests of M. fidelis are created in almost exactly the same fashion as, M. perihirta, the Western Leafcutting Bee
Western leafcutting bee
Megachile perihirta, commonly known as the western leafcutting bee, is a bee in the genus Megachile. The bee is native to western North America, ranging from Nebraska to Texas and Mexico, west to California, and north to British Columbia and Alberta, and often inhabits meadows and orchards...
. However, adult bees do not leave their brood cells until all the cells between their cell and the end of the tunnel have been vacated. As with the case of many bees, larva grow extremely rapidly when in their brood cells. It is often found that this species of bee leave their nests around spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
.
The species was published by Ezra Townsend Cresson
Ezra Townsend Cresson
Ezra Townsend Cresson, also Ezra Townsend senior was an American entomologist who specialised in Hymenoptera. He wrote Synopsis of the families and genera of the Hymenoptera of America, north of Mexico Philadelphia: Paul C. Stockhausen, Entomological printer and many other works. His son Ezra...
in 1878.