''Megachile sculpturalis'', known as the giant resin bee and sculptured resin bee, is a species of leafcutting bees belonging to 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 b ...
.
Distribution
Native to
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, it has been introduced to the
Eastern United States
The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East C ...
and
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
in recent times. First established in the United States during the early 1990s, records currently exist from most states east of the Mississippi River. It was also introduced to
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
in 2009.
[Vereecken, N.J., Barbier, E. 2009. Premières données sur la présence de l’abeille asiatique ''Megachile (Callomegachile) sculpturalis'' Smith (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) en Europe. Osmia 3: 4-6]
Description
''Megachile sculpturalis'' can reach a body length of about in males, while females usually are larger than males, reaching about .
[Discover Life]
/ref> It is much bigger than most other leafcutting bees
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 b ...
. The body is cylindrical, jaws are large and wings are transparent, with a brown color that darkens toward the tips. Head and abdomen are mainly black, the abdomen is rather shiny and without hairs, while thorax is covered with dense yellowish-brown pubescence. In males the abdomen is truncated and squared, while in the females it is almost tapered, and pointed. The female has four dentate mandibles.[Bug Guide]
/ref>[T.A. Dellinger, E. Da]
Giant Resin Bee
Virginia Cooperative Extension - Publications and Educational Resources
Habitat
In the United States, these resin bees occur in nests of Xylocopa
Carpenter bees are species in the genus ''Xylocopa'' of the subfamily Xylocopinae. The genus includes some 500 bees in 31 subgenera. The common name "carpenter bee" derives from their nesting behavior; nearly all species burrow into hard plant ma ...
spp., often around wooden structures such as doors, decks and porches.[
]
Biology
Adults can be found from June to-September.[ These solitary bees are known to make during the summer their nests in available holes found in wooden structures or in small crevices between wood boards and often they use cavities belonging to ]carpenter bee
Carpenter bees are species in the genus ''Xylocopa'' of the subfamily Xylocopinae. The genus includes some 500 bees in 31 subgenera. The common name "carpenter bee" derives from their nesting behavior; nearly all species burrow into hard plant m ...
s. They do not bore holes into wood. Their individual cells are constructed using wood particles and mud. They provide each cell with pollen carried on the underside of their hairy abdomen. Then they lay in each cell a single egg. Females also use their large jaws to collect resin (hence the common name), used to cap the brood cells. The larvae overwinter inside the cells, consuming the pollen. In spring they pupate and emerge as an adult in early summer.[
The main recorded host plants are '']Lathyrus latifolius
''Lathyrus latifolius'', the perennial peavine, perennial pea, broad-leaved everlasting-pea, or just everlasting pea, is a robust, sprawling herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe but is present on ...
'' and ''Sophora japonica
''Styphnolobium japonicum'', the Japanese pagoda tree (also known as the Chinese scholar tree and pagoda tree; syn. ''Sophora japonica'') is a species of tree in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae.
It was formerly included withi ...
'' (), ''Pycnanthemum
''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...
'' species (Lamiaceae
The Lamiaceae ( )
or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...
), ''Lythrum salicaria
''Lythrum salicaria'' or purple loosestrifeFlora of NW Europe''Lythrum salicaria'' is a flowering plant belonging to the family Lythraceae. It should not be confused with other plants sharing the name loosestrife that are members of the family Pr ...
'' (Lythraceae
Lythraceae is a family of flowering plants, including 32 genera, with about 620 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees. The larger genera include ''Cuphea'' (275 spp.), ''Lagerstroemia'' (56), ''Nesaea'' (50), ''Rotala'' (45), and ''Lythrum'' (35). ...
), ''Koelreuteria paniculata
''Koelreuteria paniculata'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Sapindaceae, native to eastern Asia (China and Korea). It was introduced in Europe in 1747, and to America in 1763, and has become a popular landscape tree worldwide. Com ...
'' (Sapindaceae
The Sapindaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Sapindales known as the soapberry family. It contains 138 genera and 1858 accepted species. Examples include horse chestnut, maples, ackee and lychee.
The Sapindaceae occur in tempera ...
) and ''Buddleia
''Buddleja'' (; ''Buddleia''; also historically given as ''Buddlea'') is a genus comprising over 140 species of flowering plants endemic to Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The generic name bestowed by Linnaeus posthumously honoured the Revere ...
'' species (Scrophulariaceae
The Scrophulariaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the figwort family. The plants are annual and perennial herbs, as well as shrubs. Flowers have bilateral (zygomorphic) or rarely radial (actinomorphic) symmetry. The Scr ...
).[
]
Gallery
File: Megachile sculpturalis, female, back 2012-07-12-17.20 (22479798836).jpg, Mounted specimen. Female, dorsal view
File: Megachile sculpturalis f.jpg , Side view
File: Megachile sculpturalis1.jpg, Close-up on the head
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1313252
sculpturalis
Insects of Japan
Insects of China
Hymenoptera of Asia
Insects described in 1853
Invasive animal species in Europe