Megachile?

[jezlee]

Hello all - I'm presuming that this is a Megachile sp.? Photographed yesterday here in my Wolverhampton garden.

[Jason Green]

Morning Jez,

Yes, Megachile sp.

Do you have any other photos? It's most likely Megachile centuncularis or M. willughbiella (I suspect the latter, but difficult without scaling), but you need a good view of the pre-terminal abdominal segment to check for black setae, and probably a view of the apical tooth on the mandible to confirm.

Take care,

Jason

[threadspider]

Out of interest Jason, which of the two species has the black setae? I am assuming when you can see them together, willoughbiella is the larger?
Judith

[JRsbugs]

Well dang me, and here I was thinking this was a female Osmia sp.

Janet

[jezlee]

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

Well dang me, and here I was thinking this was a female Osmia sp.

Janet

Funnily enough, Janet, that was my first thought, but on further research (mainly looking at other pics) I decided it must be a Megachile sp.

And yes, Jason, it is the only pic I have (makes note to self: please remember to take as many pics as possible of each individual you photograph, and from all angles!)

[JRsbugs]

I might be wrong! But it still shouts Osmia to me.

[Jason Green]

Hi Judith,

Originally Posted by threadspider

Out of interest Jason, which of the two species has the black setae? I am assuming when you can see them together, willoughbiella is the larger?
Judith

The black setae help decide between the centuncularis/willughbiella grp. and less-likely ones such as ligniseca. I expect Jez's has it, and then you need the other pointer - the scopa hairs on the last sternite; reddish-haired points to centuncularis, black-haired points to willughbiella. Yes, the latter should appear slightly bigger (though they both have size ranges which may over-lap).

As for why I chose Megachile over Osmia:

- the majority that I am aware of have darker scopae
- the horny-things you may see near the base of the mandibles - do they seem like horns, or not? They seem a little small to me, but it may just be me!
- The tarsal claws. No, I realise they don't show. Still, it's a good means of seperating them - Osmia spp. have Ariola, Megachile spp. lack them. A good photo of one on a flat surface may show them (particularly images taken with the MPe-65 lens).

Just my thoughts, I'll look forward to an expert view on this with a view to conceding

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

As for why I chose Megachile over Osmia:

- the majority that I am aware of have darker scopae
- the horny-things you may see near the base of the mandibles - do they seem like horns, or not? They seem a little small to me, but it may just be me!
- The tarsal claws. No, I realise they don't show. Still, it's a good means of seperating them - Osmia spp. have Ariola, Megachile spp. lack them. A good photo of one on a flat surface may show them (particularly images taken with the MPe-65 lens).

Just my thoughts, I'll look forward to an expert view on this with a view to conceding

On that basis, I guess my bee which really, really looks like an Osmia, and because of the blue tinge I have named it Osmia caerulescens, must also be a Megachile.

[threadspider]

[quote=Jason Green;662287]Hi Judith,



The black setae help decide between the centuncularis/willughbiella grp. and less-likely ones such as ligniseca. I expect Jez's has it, and then you need the other pointer - the scopa hairs on the last sternite; reddish-haired points to centuncularis, black-haired points to willughbiella. Yes, the latter should appear slightly bigger (though they both have size ranges which may over-lap).

Thanks for the information Jason. I will dig out my photos from the summer and look more closely.
Judith