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Carpenter-mimic Leaf-cutter Bee

Megachile xylocopoides

Description:

All black body with iridescent blue wings. It also has a hairy underside on the abdomen with lots of pollen stuck to it.

Habitat:

Suburban yard

Species ID Suggestions



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12 Comments

IrinaSh
IrinaSh 8 years ago

Thanks .Interesting!

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 8 years ago

Yes that looks very good. http://bugguide.net/node/view/359090

Juan DiTrani
Juan DiTrani 8 years ago

I think this is Megachile xylocopoides

I think it is the Blue Orchard Bee. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmia_ligna...

MrsPbio
MrsPbio 8 years ago

I'm wondering if this is an orchard mason bee species. Females have fuzzy "foreheads", and they all have the fuzzy underbelly. (Sorry I'm not an entomologist per se, just a humble naturalist educator who avoids technological terms.) Blue Orchard Bees (I call them BOB's) have blonde bangs, but this may be a male. They are not as fuzzy.

Leuba Ridgway
Leuba Ridgway 8 years ago

Great job Machi ! I love it when spottings generate discussion - I've learnt something new again.

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 8 years ago

Yes that's a tough one after Juan's expert comments. I also notice not many Megachilidae have strongly tinted wings. Thanks Juan. Hope we find it.

Machi
Machi 8 years ago

I have tried narrowing it down after your comment, but I haven't been able to find an ID with bugguide.

Juan DiTrani
Juan DiTrani 8 years ago

Nop, is not Xylocopa or even in that family. Please notice the metasomal scopae (hair brush in the abdomen). That's characteristic of Megachilidae family

Machi
Machi 8 years ago

If it is only in Eurasia, then it can't be that species. Anyways, the body shape looks a bit different

IrinaSh
IrinaSh 8 years ago

Nice series!
I think,this is Xylocopa violacea (http://eol.org/pages/2760163/overview),
but it is only in Eurasia..

Juan DiTrani
Juan DiTrani 8 years ago

This is a Leaf-cutter bee (Megachilidae)

Machi
Spotted by
Machi

Florida, USA

Spotted on Mar 27, 2015
Submitted on Apr 2, 2015

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