''Anthidium'' is a genus of
bees often called carder or potter bees, who use conifer resin, plant hairs, mud, or a mix of them to build nests. They are in the family
Megachilidae
Megachilidae is a cosmopolitan family of mostly solitary bees. Both that their pollen-carrying structure (called a '' scopa'') is restricted to the ventral surface of the abdomen (rather than mostly or exclusively on the hind legs as in other ...
which is cosmopolitan in distribution and made up of species that are mostly solitary bees with pollen-carrying
scopa
''Scopa'' (; literally "broom") is an Italian card game, and one of the three major national card games in Italy, the others being '' Briscola'' and ''Tresette''. It is also popular in Argentina and Brazil, brought in by Italian immigrants, most ...
that are only located on the ventral surface of the
abdomen
The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the to ...
. Other bee families have the pollen-carrying structures on the hind legs. Typically species of ''Anthidium'' feed their brood on
pollen and
nectar from plants. ''
Anthidium florentinum
''Anthidium florentinum'', one of several European wool carder bees, is a territorial species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bees.
Description
The species is a medium to large bee. Both sexes have a black a ...
'' is distinguished from most of its relatives by yellow or brick-red thoracic bands. They fly all summer and make the nests in holes in the ground, walls or trees, with hairs plucked from plants.
Most ''Anthidium'' species are leaf-cutting bees who use conifer resin, plant hairs, earth, or a combination of these as material for the nest walls. Their abdominal bands are usually interrupted in the middle. There is no lobe (
arolium The arthropod leg is a form of jointed appendage of arthropods, usually used for walking. Many of the terms used for arthropod leg segments (called podomeres) are of Latin origin, and may be confused with terms for bones: ''coxa'' (meaning hip, pl ...
) between their claws. ''
Anthidium manicatum
''Anthidium manicatum'', commonly called the European wool carder bee is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter bees or mason bees.
They get the name "carding, carder" from their behaviour of scraping hair from leaves such ...
'' is commonly known as the wool carder bee which uses comblike mandibles to "comb" plant fibers into its brood cell walls. It has spread from Europe to North and South America. The males are much larger (ca. 18 mm) than the females (ca.12 mm) which is not uncommon among Megachilidae, but very rare among other bee families (e.g., the true
honey bee
A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the current cosm ...
s, genus ''Apis''). The males also have three "thorns" at their abdominal apex which they use as weapons when defending their territory.
Extant species
*''
Anthidium abjunctum
''Anthidium abjunctum'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named ...
''
*''
Anthidium afghanistanicum
''Anthidium afghanistanicum'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bees.
Distribution
This species of Megachilidae can be found, like in its binomial name implies, in Afghanistan
Afghanistan ...
''
*''
Anthidium akermani''
*''
Anthidium albitarse''
*''
Anthidium alsinai''
*''
Anthidium alticola
''Anthidium alticola'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bees.
References
alticola
''Alticola'' is a genus of rodent in the family Cricetidae.
Species
*Subgenus ''Alticola''
** White- ...
''
*''
Anthidium amabile
''Anthidium amabile'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named fo ...
''
*''
Anthidium amurense''
*''
Anthidium andinum''
*''
Anthidium anguliventre
''Anthidium anguliventre'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are nam ...
''
*''
Anthidium anurospilum''
*''
Anthidium ardens
''Anthidium ardens'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named for ...
''
*''
Anthidium armatum''
*''
Anthidium atricaudum
''Anthidium atricaudum'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bees.
Distribution
*Chile
*Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú. ...
''
*''
Anthidium atripes
''Anthidium atripes'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named fo ...
''
*''
Anthidium auritum
''Anthidium auritum'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named fo ...
''
*''
Anthidium aymara
''Anthidium aymara'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bees.
Distribution
*Chile
References
aymara
Aymara may refer to:
Languages and people
* Aymaran languages, the second most widespread ...
''
*''
Anthidium aztecum''
*''
Anthidium banningense
''Anthidium banningense'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named ...
''
*''
Anthidium basale''
*''
Anthidium bechualandicum''
*''
Anthidium berbericum''
*''
Anthidium bifidum''
*''
Anthidium bischoffi''
*''
Anthidium brevithorace
''Anthidium brevithorace'' is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bee
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are na ...
''
*''
Anthidium callosum''
*''
Anthidium caspicum''
*''
Anthidium chilense''
*''
Anthidium christianseni''
*''
Anthidium chubuti''
*''
Anthidium cingulatum''
*''
Anthidium clypeodentatum''
*''
Anthidium cochimi''
*''
Anthidium cockerelli''
*''
Anthidium collectum''
*''
Anthidium colliguayanum''
*''
Anthidium comatum''
*''
Anthidium conciliatum''
*''
Anthidium cordiforme''
*''
Anthidium cuzcoense''
*''
Anthidium dalmaticum''
*''
Anthidium dammersi''
*''
Anthidium danieli
''Anthidium danieli'' is a species of bee in the Family (biology), family Megachilidae, the Leafcutter bee, leaf-cutter, carder bee, or mason bees.
Distribution
*Argentina
References
Anthidium, danieli
Insects described in 2001
{{Ant ...
''
*''
Anthidium decaspilum''
*''
Anthidium deceptum''
*''
Anthidium diadema''
*''
Anthidium echinatum''
*''
Anthidium edwardsii''
*''
Anthidium edwini''
*''
Anthidium emarginatum''
*''
Anthidium eremicum''
*''
Anthidium espinosai''
*''
Anthidium falsificum''
*''
Anthidium flavorufum''
*''
Anthidium flavotarsum''
*''
Anthidium florentinum
''Anthidium florentinum'', one of several European wool carder bees, is a territorial species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bees.
Description
The species is a medium to large bee. Both sexes have a black a ...
''
*''
Anthidium formosum''
*''
Anthidium friesei''
*''
Anthidium fulviventre''
*''
Anthidium funereum''
*''
Anthidium furcatum''
*''
Anthidium garleppi''
*''
Anthidium gayi''
*''
Anthidium gratum''
*''
Anthidium gussakovskiji''
*''
Anthidium hallinani''
*''
Anthidium helianthinum''
*''
Anthidium himalayense''
*''
Anthidium igori''
*''
Anthidium illustre''
*''
Anthidium incertum''
*''
Anthidium isabelae''
*''
Anthidium jocosum''
*''
Anthidium kashgarense''
*''
Anthidium kashmirense''
*''
Anthidium klapperichi''
*''
Anthidium kvakicum''
*''
Anthidium laeve''
*''
Anthidium larocai''
*''
Anthidium latum''
*''
Anthidium loboguerrero''
*''
Anthidium longstaffi''
*''
Anthidium loti''
*''
Anthidium luctuosum''
*''
Anthidium luizae''
*''
Anthidium maculifrons''
*''
Anthidium maculosum''
*''
Anthidium manicatum
''Anthidium manicatum'', commonly called the European wool carder bee is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter bees or mason bees.
They get the name "carding, carder" from their behaviour of scraping hair from leaves such ...
''
*''
Anthidium masunariae''
*''
Anthidium montanum''
*''
Anthidium montivagum''
*''
Anthidium mormonum''
*''
Anthidium nigerrimum''
*''
Anthidium nigroventrale''
*''
Anthidium niveocinctum''
*''
Anthidium nursei''
*''
Anthidium oblongatum
''Anthidium oblongatum'', the oblong woolcarder bee, is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter, carder, or mason bees.
Range
Reported from Morocco in North Africa. In Eurasia from Portugal via southern, central and eastern ...
''
*''
Anthidium opacum''
*''
Anthidium ordinatum''
*''
Anthidium paitense''
*''
Anthidium pallidiclypeum''
*''
Anthidium palliventre''
*''
Anthidium palmarum''
*''
Anthidium paroselae''
*''
Anthidium perplexum''
*''
Anthidium penai''
*''
Anthidium peruvianum''
*''
Anthidium philorum''
*''
Anthidium placitum''
*''
Anthidium politum''
*''
Anthidium pontis''
*''
Anthidium porterae''
*''
Anthidium psoraleae''
*''
Anthidium pulchellum''
*''
Anthidium pullatum''
*''
Anthidium punctatum''
*''
Anthidium quetzalcoatli''
*''
Anthidium rafaeli''
*''
Anthidium rodecki''
*''
Anthidium rodriguezi''
*''
Anthidium rotundoscutellare''
*''
Anthidium rotundum''
*''
Anthidium rozeni''
*''
Anthidium rubricans''
*''
Anthidium rubripes''
*''
Anthidium rubrozonatum''
*''
Anthidium rufitarse''
*''
Anthidium sanguinicaudum''
*''
Anthidium semicirculare''
*''
Anthidium senile''
*''
Anthidium septemspinosum''
*''
Anthidium sertanicola''
*''
Anthidium severini''
*''
Anthidium sichuanense''
*''
Anthidium sikkimense''
*''
Anthidium sinuatellum''
*''
Anthidium soikai''
*''
Anthidium soni''
*''
Anthidium sonorense''
*''
Anthidium spiniventre''
*''
Anthidium striatum''
*''
Anthidium sublustre''
*''
Anthidium sudanicum''
*''
Anthidium syriacum''
*''
Anthidium taeniatum''
*''
Anthidium tarsoi''
*''
Anthidium taschenbergi''
*''
Anthidium tenuiflorae''
*''
Anthidium tergomarginatum''
*''
Anthidium ternarium''
*''
Anthidium tesselatum''
*''
Anthidium thomsoni''
*''
Anthidium toro''
*''
Anthidium undulatiforme''
*''
Anthidium undulatum''
*''
Anthidium unicum''
*''
Anthidium utahense''
*''
Anthidium venustum''
*''
Anthidium vigintiduopunctatum''
*''
Anthidium vigintipunctatum''
*''
Anthidium weyrauchi''
*''
Anthidium wuestneii''
*''
Anthidium zadaense''
Fossil species
Four species have been described from the fossil record. The oldest species date from the
Priabonian to
Rupelian
The Rupelian is, in the geologic timescale, the older of two ages or the lower of two stages of the Oligocene Epoch/ Series. It spans the time between . It is preceded by the Priabonian Stage (part of the Eocene) and is followed by the Chattian ...
deposits of the
Florissant Formation, Colorado.
Anthidium Fabricius – Discover Life
/ref>
* †'' Anthidium basalticum'' Zhang, 1989
*†'' Anthidium exhumatum'' Cockerell, 1906
*†'' Anthidium mortuum'' (Meunier, 1920)
*†'' Anthidium scudderi'' Cockerell, 1906
Notes
References
* Chinery, Michael - ''Insects of Britain and Western Europe''. Domino Guides, A & C Black, London, 1986
External links
Anthidium Identification Guide
List of Species
Worldwide Species Map
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1460174
Bee genera