Anthidium maculifrons

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Anthidium Fabricius, 1804
Subgenus: A. (Anthidium) Fabricius, 1804
Species: Anthidium maculifrons Smith, 1854
Common name: none

Overview

Anthidium (Anthidium) maculifrons are dark brown to black with yellow maculations (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.). Females have white pubescencepubescence:
short, fine hair
except for yellow to brown hairs on the vertexvertex:
the area between the ocelli and the back of the head
, scutumscutum:
the large segment on top of the thorax located between the wings and behind the head
, axillaaxilla:
the triangular or rounded point on the thorax where thoracic muscles meet the forewing of an insect
, scutellumscutellum:
shield shaped plate behind scutum
, tarsitarsi:
the group of segments at the end of the leg following the tibia
, and S6S6:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
. Females have a body length of 9.2–11.2 mm, and males range in length from 9.2–16.9 mm (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

Diagnostic characteristics

(modified from Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.)

• Female labrumlabrum:
  part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
  has basalbasal:
  originating at the foundation of a structure
  protuberances, and small, distinct preapicalpreapical:
  referring to a section of a bee that is physically found just before the outermost (or apical) end of the section or segment
  projections that curve upwards.
• Female mandiblemandible:
  bee teeth, so to speak, usually crossed and folded in front of the mouth
  has 6–7 teeth.
• Female propodealpropodeal:
  the last segment of the thorax
  triangle is dull, and finely imbricateimbricate:
  overlapping, like shingles or roof tiles
  to lineolatelineolate:
  marked with fine lines
  .
• Female hind tibiatibia:
  the segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus
  with anterioranterior:
  toward the head or on the head side of a segment being described
  carina present.
• Female T1–T5 discal areas are elevated, and dull, weakly shiny, and weakly imbricateimbricate:
  overlapping, like shingles or roof tiles
  between punctures.
• Female T1–T5 depressed marginal zones have coarse punctures.
• Female T1–T5 distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margins are thick, carinatecarinate:
  having keels or carinae
  , and narrow.
• Female T6T6:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  has a small, blunt laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  angle, crenulatecrenulate:
  having a finely scalloped or notched outline or edge
  preapical carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  , and depressed apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  rim.
• Male hind coxacoxa:
  the basal segment of the leg
  and trochanters have a small ventralventral:
  of, on, or relating to the underside of an animal, or segment of an animal
  spine.
• Male labrumlabrum:
  part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
  basalbasal:
  originating at the foundation of a structure
  protuberances are a similar size to those seen in females, and preapicalpreapical:
  referring to a section of a bee that is physically found just before the outermost (or apical) end of the section or segment
  projections that are larger than those in females.
• Male S4S4:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  with a narrow median apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  brush of sparse, reddish-brown hair.
• Male S4S4:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  margin is slightly convexconvex:
  curved outward
  medially.
• Male S6S6:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  basalbasal:
  originating at the foundation of a structure
  margin is convexconvex:
  curved outward
  and the apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  margin is sinuous.
• Male S7S7:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  is truncatetruncate:
  ending abruptly, or squared off
  or rounded apicallyapically:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  and sinuous laterally.
• Male S8S8:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  process is broad, long, and bilobed
• Male T6T6:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  spine is curved and as long as the T7T7:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  median spine.
• Male T7T7:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
  laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  lobe is digitiform.

May be confused with

Female A. maculifrons may be confused with A. cochimi due to the elevated discal areas of T1–T5, crenulatecrenulate:
having a finely scalloped or notched outline or edge
preapical carinacarina:
a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
and small, laterallateral:
relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
projections on T6T6:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
(Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.). Female A. maculifrons can be differentiated from A. cochimi by their clypeusclypeus:
a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
without modified hairs, labrumlabrum:
part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
with small and distinct preapicalpreapical:
referring to a section of a bee that is physically found just before the outermost (or apical) end of the section or segment
projections, and sparser tomentumtomentum:
a form of pubescence composed of short matted, woolly hair
on the outer surface of the basitarsibasitarsi:
the segment of the tarsus that is the nearest to the body of the bee, usually the largest of all the tarsal segments
(Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.). Male A. maculifrons can be differentiated from A. cochimi, and all other New WorldNew World:
the Western Hemisphere; especially the continental landmass of North and South America
Anthidium, by the small ventralventral:
of, on, or relating to the underside of an animal, or segment of an animal
spine on the hind coxacoxa:
the basal segment of the leg
and trochanters, digitiform laterallateral:
relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
lobe on T7T7:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, or T7
, and long, bifidbifid:
divided into two branches; forked
apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
process on S8S8:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
.

Phenology

Anthidium maculifrons adults have been recorded in flight throughout the year, with peak activity occurring from August to the first half of October (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

Host associations

Anthidium maculifrons is a generalist that has been observed visiting a variety of species within Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Diapensiaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Rubiaceae (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

Nesting behavior

Nesting behavior is unknown.

Distribution

Anthidium maculifrons occur from Costa Rica to southern Ontario, Canada. Within the U.S., they range from Arizona and Colorado to the East Coast. They are found primarily in dry forests, pine-oak ecoregions, and temperature forests. They are absent in xericxeric:
a very dry habitat
regions. Anthidium maculifrons is the most abundant and widely distributed Anthidium species in Mesoamerica (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013Gonzalez and Griswold 2013:
Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal 168: 221ndash;425.).

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References

Gonzalez, V.H. and T.L. Griswold. 2013. Wool carder bees of the genus Anthidium in the Western Hemisphere (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): diversity, host plant associations, phylogeny, and biogeography. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 168: 221-425.