Megachilidae Research Articles

Megachilid bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila: Megachilidae) of Ladakh: A morphological and molecular approach

The megachilid bees of Ladakh are documented based on the collections deposited in the National Zoological Collection and the collections made from Leh district by S. Angmo during 2020–2023. Accounts of sixteen species known from this region belonging to three tribes viz., Anthidiini (03 species), Megachilini (09 species) and Osmiini (01 species) are provided. Thirteen species have been detected among which seven species, Stelis scutellaris Morawitz, Coelioxys conoideus (Illiger), Coelioxys rufescens Lepeletier and Serville, Megachile creutzburgi (Tkalců), Megachile leachella Curtis, Megachile lagopoda (Linnaeus) and Megachile maritima (Kirby) are new to India, while three among the remaining six species are new to Ladakh. Floral associations for the recently collected specimens are provided. The Mitochondrial COI sequences of 09 species are deposited in BOLD/NCBI among which sequences for 03 species are novel deposits. Based on the COI sequences already available in the database and the sequences deposited, a phylogenetic tree for the studied specimens has been included.

Annotated checklist of the megachilid bees of Corsica (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)

Corsica stands as one of the largest Mediterranean Islands and has been the exploration ground for renowned entomologists like Charles Ferton. However, no synthesis on Corsican bees has been published so far. To fill this gap in knowledge, we propose an overview of the megachilid bee fauna of the island based on fieldwork, a thorough examination of material housed at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN, Paris), data compilation from various collections and a comprehensive review of existing literature. We reviewed 5,886 specimens and we extracted 279 additional data from literature sources. These data confirm the presence in Corsica of 91 species of which two are endemic, including Hoplitis corsaria (Warncke, 1991) which is elevated to species rank stat. nov. One new synonymy is established: Megachile lucidifrons Ferton, syn. nov. of Megachile albocristata Smith, 1853. The presence in Corsica of 19 species is regarded as dubious or erroneous. Finally, the types of Megachilid bees housed at MNHN and described based on Corsican material are illustrated. Lectotypes are designated for Megachile sicula var. corsica Benoist, 1935, Osmia corsica Ferton, 1901, Osmia erythrogastra Ferton, 1905, Osmia lanosa Pérez, 1879, and Osmia lineola Pérez, 1895.

A new osmiine bee with a spectacular geographic disjunction: Hoplitis (Hoplitis) onosmaevae sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Anthophila, Megachilidae)

A new osmiine bee species, Hoplitis (Hoplitis) onosmaevaesp. nov. (Megachilidae), is described. So far, this species is exclusively known from the Mercantour National Park in the southwestern French Alps and from mountainous ranges in Turkey and northern Iraq, two areas separated by at least 2000 km. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear genes revealed that H. onosmaevae is closely related to H. adunca (Panzer, 1798), H. benoisti (Alfken, 1935) and H. manicata (Morice, 1901). Hoplitis onosmaevae is presumably narrowly oligolectic and harvests pollen only on flowers of Onosma L. (Boraginaceae). It has a particularly long proboscis, which is probably an adaptation to collect nectar from the long-tubed flowers of this plant genus. The females collect pollen by buzzing the Onosma flowers, a rare behavior in megachilid bees. The species nests in insect burrows in dead wood, similar to H. adunca and H. manicata but unlike other closely related representatives of the subgenus Hoplitis, suggesting a single origin of nesting in dead wood and hollow stems in this lineage. In France, H. onosmaevae inhabits alpine steppe-like habitats close to forests and appears to be extremely local, since only two populations are currently known. The conservation status of this extremely rare bee species in Europe is discussed.

The Megachilidae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apiformes) of the Democratic Republic of Congo curated at the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA, Belgium).

Natural history collections are a cornerstone of entomology, and the conservation of specimens is the essential prerequisite for the development of research into systematics, biogeography, ecology, evolution and other disciplines. Yet, specimens collected during decades of entomological research conducted in less developed countries across Sub-Saharan Africa on pests, beneficial insects and insect biodiversity in general have largely been exported to be permanently preserved in developed countries, mainly in Europe and the United States of America. This is particularly true for the Democratic Republic of the Congos (DRC) diverse wild bee fauna, which has been investigated throughout the colonial period by visiting or resident entomologists and missionaries who have then transferred their collected material primarily to Belgium as part of a wider legacy of scientific exploration and colonialism. Digitizing NHC is one way to mitigate this current bias, by making samples accessible to researchers from the target post-colonial countries as well as to the wider international scientific community. In this study, we compiled and digitized 6,490 specimens records relevant to 195 wild bee species grouped in 18 genera within the biodiverse family Megachilidae, essentially from the colonial era (i.e., mostly between 19051960, with additional records up to 1978), and curated at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Belgium. We provide a detailed catalogue of all records with updated locality and province names, including 29 species only available as type specimens. We also explore the historical patterns of diversity and distribution across DRC, and we provide a list of the research entomologists involved. This study is an important first step that uses digital technologies to democratize and repatriate important aspects of DRCs natural heritage of insect biodiversity, to stimulate more contemporary field surveys and modern taxonomic revisions, as well as to identify and characterize research gaps and biodiversity shortfalls in some of the less-explored regions of Sub-Saharan Africa.

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An updated checklist of the Megachilid bees of Iraq is presented in this paper. The current list includes 31 species belonging to 10 genera, under the tribes Lithurgini, Osmiini, Anthidiini, and Megachilini within the Megachilinae subfamily. The basionyms, synonyms, and distribution of species in the world are also given. Based on the specimens, which obtained during this study, a diagnostic key was designed to identify the tribes and genera; the genus Heriades Spinola, 1808 (Tribe, Osmiini) is recorded for the first time in the Iraqi entomofauna.

Effect of Pollination by the Osmia Bicornis (syn. O. rufa) Bee on Fruit Set, Seed Set and Yield in Three Apple Cultivars

Abstract Our study tested the pollination effectiveness of the megachilid bee Osmia bicornis L. (syn. Osmia rufa) on three apple cultivars (cv.): Lobo, Piros and Champion. The following pollination treatments were compared for each cultivar: insect pollination - caged trees with Osmia bicornis (syn. Osmia rufa) bees; open pollination - uncaged trees; self-pollination - caged trees without bees. Pollination success was measured based on the percentage of fruit set, the fruit yield per tree (measured as number of fruits and total fruit weight) and the number of seeds per fruit. Generally, there was a higher percentage of initial fruit-set and fruits at harvest on open-pollinated trees than on caged trees without bees, with an intermediate value recorded for caged trees pollinated by O. bicornis (syn. O. rufa). However, the fruit set on trees pollinated by O. bicornis (syn. O. rufa) was high and ranged from 49 to 69%, depending on the cultivar. The cv. Lobo trees pollinated by O. bicornis (syn. O. rufa) and open-pollinated trees produced higher fruit yields than without bees. Furthermore, the number of seeds per fruit was higher. Fruit yield and the number of seeds per fruit were higher for trees pollinated by O. bicornis (syn. O. rufa) than for caged trees without insects but lower than for open pollination trees of cv. Piros and cv. Lobo.

Forest habitats and plant communities strongly predicts Megachilidae bee biodiversity.

Megachilidae is one of the United States' most diverse bee families, with 667 described species in 19 genera. Unlike other bee families, which are primarily ground nesters, most megachilid bees require biotic cavities for nesting (i.e., wood, pithy stems, etc.). For this group, the availability of woody-plant species may be as important as nectar/pollen resources in maintaining populations. We studied Megachilidae biodiversity in the continental United States. We confirmed that the highest species richness of Megachilidae was in the southwestern United States. We examined the relationship between species richness and climate, land cover, tree species richness, and flowering plant diversity. When examining environmental predictors across the conterminous United States, we found that forested habitats, but not tree diversity, strongly predicted Megachilidae richness. Additionally, Megachilidae richness was highest in areas with high temperature and low precipitation, however this was not linearly correlated and strongly positively correlated with flowering plant diversity. Our research suggests that the availability of nesting substrate (forested habitats), and not only flowering plants, is particularly important for these cavity-nesting species. Since trees and forested areas are particularly susceptible to climate change, including effects of drought, fire, and infestations, nesting substrates could become a potential limiting resource for Megachilidae populations.

Phylogenetic analyses of the proteins involved in encapsulation signaling pathways in ants

"One of the major evolutionary transitions is the shift from solitary to social lifestyle, which involved a plethora of behavioral and physiological changes in social entities. Group living has several advantages as the evolution of collective defense mechanisms. It may also affect the individual immune system either due to the efficiency of social immune defenses or because of the high transmission frequency of pathogens. Individual defense consists of the innate and acquired immune components. In insects, there are two signaling pathways (Toll and Jak/Stat) that result in the expression of specific immune genes, which, in their turn, encode peptides, proteins and activate innate immune responses like encapsulation. The main aim of our study was to verify whether transition to eusocial lifestyle is reflected in proteins involved in immune responses. We carried out phylogenetic analyses of 15 proteins involved in encapsulation signaling pathways in ants. We also included four other social insect groups, bees, sweat bees, social wasps, and termites, and three solitary insect groups, as fruit flies, braconid wasps, and megachilid bees. Ants grouped separately from other insect groups in most cases, however, there were some notable exceptions mostly in the case of pattern recognition proteins, probably correlating with differences in potential pathogens. No major differences were revealed though between solitary and social insects with respect to proteins involved in encapsulation. Keywords: eusociality, evolution, immune response, innate immunity, insects, social immunity"

The Family Megachilidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) In Pollination Ecology- a Review

Family Megachilidae belongs to cosmopolitan family groups, making nests in the soil, and mostly prefer pre-existing cavities such as pithy stems, galls, and dead wood for nesting. Mostly they are solitary, long-tongued, and have pollen-collecting structure scopa present on the ventral side of the abdomen rather than hind legs (mostly in other bees). Genus Megachilid is generally known as leaf cutter and mason bees. Family Megachilidae is characterized by different groups of the bees such as solitary, mason, resin, carder, and leafcutter bees, and are the most important pollinators for agricultural, horticultural, medicinal, and aromatic plants. Female leafcutter bees have a special character to form brood cells by using their mandibles to cut leaves. Family Megachilidae is found throughout the world except for Antarctica, lowland tropical rain forests, deserts, and hilly ecosystems, and 238 species are listed from the Indian region. Our review is based on the significant role of the family Megachilidae and their different adaptive structures and behaviour to enhance their contribution to the pollination ecology.

New records of megachilid bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan

The data on 19 species of megachilid bees collected in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan in 2019–2022 are reported. Fifteen species are new for Azerbaijan; four other species, previously known by literature records, are confirmed for Azerbaijan. Anthidium gussakovskiji Mavromoustakis, 1939 is excluded from the fauna of the republic. The known fauna of Azerbaijan numbers 174 species of megachilid bees.

New records of megachilid bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) for Colombia

The bee family Megachilidae consists of solitary species, some of which are important pollinators of cultivated plants. Although literature records indicate the existence of about 50 species of 10 genera of megachilid bees in Colombia, taxonomic studies are lacking and thus limited information is available on their identity as well as their distribution in the country. Herein, we provide new geographical records for the following ten species: Anthidium sanguinicaudum Schwarz, Chelostomoides otomita (Cresson), Hoplostelis bilineolata (Spinola), Megachile amparo Gonzalez, M. kalina Gonzalez et al., M. lorenziensis Mitchell, M. moderata Smith, M. simillima Smith, Pseudomegachile lanata (Fabricius), and Stelis costaricensis Friese. We report M. kalina for the first time for the country.

New records of the invasive species Megachile sculpturalis, Smith, 1853 in Ukraine

Background. Biological invasions are one of the recognized causes leading to the loss of native diversity. Among wild bees in Europe, only three invasive species are known, one of them being Megachile (Callomegachile) sculpturalis Smith, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) – the rapidly spreading giant resin bee whose impact on local diversity remains unexplored. Not only scientists, but also many naturalists are involved in monitoring this invasive species in Europe. The unique appearance of this species and the lack of similar species in the family Megachilidae in Europe makes it easy to identify it even by photo. This oriental species was first recorded in Europe in 2008, in Ukraine in 2018. The aim of our work was to study the distribution of M. sculpturalis in Ukraine and some features of its ecology. Material and Methods. The object of the study is the alien species of wild bees Megachile sculpturalis. For data analysis, we used records of amateur naturalists and their photographic evidence, as well as our own collection material. Insects were identified using binocular stereoscopic microscope Olympus SZX 12 and specialized keys. Results. The article presents analysis of records of the invasive species M. sculpturalis in Ukraine. Five new sites of its distribution were revealed: in the territory Zaporizhzhia region (Zaporizhzhia, Khortytsia island), Odesa region (Odesa, Chornomorsk, Kuyalnytskyi estuary) and Mykolaiv region (Mykolaiv). This allowed us to change the chronology of its settlement in Ukraine and expand the map of its distribution. Bees exhibited relative ecological plasticity when choosing nesting sites, and consistency of nesting cavities recolonization. Conclusions. Data analysis and observations have shown that the alien species M. sculpturalis was brought to Ukraine repeatedly and in different places, which enables it to establish itself in the secondary habitat, form viable offspring and successfully reproduce. Our study also shows the importance of citizen science and the importance of actively involving amateur naturalists in monitoring invasions.

Large flowers can be short‐lived: Insights from a high Andean cactus

AbstractLong‐lived and large flowers signify high floral maintenance costs. Species of arid/semiarid climates with large flowers are expected to have short flower life spans and pollination‐induced flower longevity in order to curb high floral water and other maintenance costs. We explored the context‐dependent large flower/short flower longevity hypothesis in Eriosyce curvispina (Cactaceae), a large‐flowered species of the semiarid central Chilean Andes. We determined breeding system, flower visitation rates, and open‐pollination fruit set and quantified floral water content. In a temperature‐controlled field manipulative experiment, we measured potential flower longevity and tested for the presence of pollination‐induced floral senescence. We measured the time span of the complete flower cycle defined as from when the flowers began to open to when they were totally closed, and the time span of fully open flowers defined as from when they were totally open until they began to close. The potential flower life span averaged 2.8 days (complete flower cycle) to 2.3 days (fully open flower). The complete flower cycle lasted 21.5 h, but flowers were fully open for only 10.1 h across days. Flower longevity in days was far shorter than reported for a large sample of species in the area. No evidence was found for pollination‐induced flower senescence as a complementary means for reducing floral maintenance costs. Eriosyce curvispina is self‐incompatible and abundantly pollinated by two megachilid bees. The level of pollen limitation (L = 0.36) was lower than the average reported for self‐incompatible angiosperms. Thus, the short flower life span in E. curvispina is not an impediment for high fruit set. Flowers contain >5 g of water of which >2 reside in >40 petaloid tepals. The amount of water is far higher than in another large‐flowered, non‐cactus species in the area, but only about 15% of that reported in the giant saguaro cactus which has larger flowers than E. curvispina.

Morphological Description of Some Megachilidae Species in Aljabal Alakhder, Libya

Bees are a large and diverse species of insects belonging to the Hymenoptera order. The family Megachilidae represents a large part of most of the bee fauna all over the world as a result of their importance as pollinators. The study aimed to describe the morphological characteristics of three species of wild bees belonging to Megachile parientina (Geoffroy, 1785), Rhodanthidium sticticum (Fabricius, 1787), and Anthidium diadema Latreille, 1809 in Aljabal Alakder, Libya. Specimens were collected by hand net from different locations in the Aljabal Alakder area (Albayda and Alwastia). The morphological characters were described by using the OPTIC microscope. Measurements were taken at full body length (in cm), front wings length, thorax and abdomen width, body color was taken (head, abdomen, thorax, wings), and the study described in details the morphology of mouthparts, wings venation, antenna and abdominal structure for all species. The morphological structures vary between the different species in color, size, and wings. The body length of M. parientina was 19 mm, R. sticticum was 12 mm, and A. diadema was 13 mm. The study’s conclusion insists on the importance of morphological description studies to facilitate the identification of wild bees species in Libya.

First reports of some Megachilid bees (Hymenoptera) from Kerala, India

Family Megachilidae consists of long tongued bees which are easily recognized by the presence of two submarginal cells in the forewing (except in Fideliini) and the female bees from this family (except parasitic forms and Pararhophitini) can be distinguished by the presence of scopa underneath the abdomen. Genus Megachile Latreille, 1802 is one of the most diverse bee genera and they play a significant role in pollination. This genus consists of leafcutter bees, mason bees and resin bees

Do amino and fatty acid profiles of pollen provisions correlate with bacterial microbiomes in the mason bee Osmia bicornis?

Bee performance and well-being strongly depend on access to sufficient and appropriate resources, in particular pollen and nectar of flowers, which constitute the major basis of bee nutrition. Pollen-derived microbes appear to play an important but still little explored role in the plant pollen-bee interaction dynamics, e.g. through affecting quantities and ratios of important nutrients. To better understand how microbes in pollen collected by bees may affect larval health through nutrition, we investigated correlations between the floral, bacterial and nutritional composition of larval provisions and the gut bacterial communities of the solitary megachilid bee Osmia bicornis. Our study reveals correlations between the nutritional quality of pollen provisions and the complete bacterial community as well as individual members of both pollen provisions and bee guts. In particular pollen fatty acid profiles appear to interact with specific members of the pollen bacterial community, indicating that pollen-derived bacteria may play an important role in fatty acid provisioning. As increasing evidence suggests a strong effect of dietary fatty acids on bee performance, future work should address how the observed interactions between specific fatty acids and the bacterial community in larval provisions relate to health in O. bicornis. This article is part of the theme issue 'Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes'.

Leafcutter Bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) as Pollinators of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp., Fabaceae): Artificial Trap Nests as a strategy for their conservation

Solitary bees of the family Megachilidae are the key pollinators of pigeon pea. Artificial trap nests were used to study nesting parameters, such as occupancy rate, nest establishment time, and building pattern during the vegetative and flowering stages of the Cajanus cajan (Fabaceae). The installed traps were occupied by three different leafcutter bees (Megachile lanata, M. laticeps, M. disjuncta) and one parasitic bee Coelioxys sp. Bees occupied the nest tubes for 16.01 ± 2.82 and 10.23 ± 2.30 days in the vegetative and flowering stages. We recorded 38.33 and 72.50% trap occupancy rates during crop vegetative and flowering stages, respectively. The percent parasitization by Melittobia sp was significantly higher during the vegetative stage (53.67%). Brood cells were parasitized by Coelioxys sp (6.67%) during the flowering stage. Many female bees tend to occupy trap nests with active nest construction during the flowering stage (7.21 ± 2.28 bees). In contrast, male bees merely took shelter inside the traps during the vegetative stage. Thus, it is concluded that female bees possess more wing wear during the vegetative stage of the crop when compared to the flowering stage. We also observed a significant increase in the percent pod set, the number of seeds per pod, and 100 seed weight in the experimental plot compared to the control plot, proving the importance of leafcutter bees for the pollination of Cajanus cajan crop. The present study results confirmed the role of artificial trap nests in providing habitats for the solitary leafcutter bees, thereby increasing their activity and nest abundance, which favors the pollination and better yield in pigeon pea.

Clypeal pollen accumulation in a new species of bee from Syria: A hitherto unknown phenomenon in megachilid bees (Megachilidae: Anthidiini)

The ventral metasomal scopa is in female megachilid bees (Megachilidae) the main morphological structure which is known to be used for transporting pollen from the flower to the nest. Here a new species of bee, Anthidium pectinatum Kasparek, sp. nov. is described from southern Syria and eastern Anatolia, in which significant pollen loads were regularly found also on the female clypeus. Pollen grains accumulated on the clypeus were mostly colourful and large; the majority was assigned to the Cardueae (Asteraceae). By contrast, pollen grains accumulated in the ventral scopa were smaller and mainly belonged to Convolvulaceae, probably within the genus Cuscuta. Possible roles of the pollen packages found on the clypeus are discussed, including the possibility that these pollen grains are used for adorning or masking the nest entrance as was observed in other bee species. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5E40E9D3-BC6F-4802-840510DEA76808AD

First record of the bee genus Bathanthidium (Bathanthidium s. str.) Mavromoustakis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) from Vietnam: Description of a new species and a key to species

The little-known bee genusBathanthidiumMavromoustakis, 1953 of the family Megachilidae is reported for the first time from Vietnam. A new species,Bathanthidium(Bathanthidium s. str.) paco Tran & Nguyen,sp. nov.from Hoa Binh province is described and illustrated. A nest of the new species is reported from a wooden house. An updated identification key to all known species of the subgenus Bathanthidium s. str. is also provided.

Decreased bee emergence along an elevation gradient: Implications for climate change revealed by a transplant experiment.

Bees experience differences in thermal tolerance based on their geographical range; however, there are virtually no studies that examine how overwintering temperatures may influence immature survival rates. Here, we conducted a transplant experiment along an elevation gradient to test for climate-change effects on immature overwinter survival using movement along elevational gradient for a community of 26 cavity-nesting bee species in the family Megachilidae along the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona elevational gradient. In each of three years, we placed nest blocks at three elevations, to be colonized by native Megachilidae. Colonized blocks were then (1) moved to lower (warmer) elevations; (2) moved to higher (cooler) elevations; or (3) left in their natal habitat (no change in temperature). Because Megachilidae occupy high elevations with colder temperatures more than any other family of bees, we predicted that emergence would decrease in nest blocks moved to lower elevations, but that we would find no differences in emergence when nest blocks were moved to higher elevations. We found three major results: (1) Bee species moved to lower (warmer) habitats exhibited a 30% decrease in emergence compared with species moved within their natal habitat. (2) Habitat generalists were more likely than habitat specialists to emerge when moved up or down in elevation regardless of their natal life zones. (3) At our highest elevation treatment, emergence increased when blocks were moved to higher elevations, indicating that at least some Megachilidae species can survive at colder temperatures. Our results suggest that direct effects of warming temperatures will have negative impacts on the overall survival of Megachilidae. Additionally, above the tree line, low availability of wood-nesting resources is a probable limiting factor on bees moving up in elevation.