Anthidium manicatum

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Anthidium Fabricius, 1804
Subgenus: A. (Anthidium) Fabricius, 1804
Species: Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name: none

Overview

Anthidium (Anthidium) manicatum are dark brown to black except for light reddish-brown coloration on the distaldistal:
place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
two-thirds of the middle and hind femorafemora:
the third segment of the leg, situated between the trochanter and the tibia
, and yellow maculations throughout their body (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 yellow to light ferruginousferruginous:
rust-colored
pubescence, except for paler hairs on the sides of the thorax and S1–S5. Females have a body length of 9.2–12.2 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.). Males have long tufts of ferruginousferruginous:
rust-colored
or pale hairs on the laterallateral:
relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
protuberances of T2–T5. Males range in body length from 12.3–17.7 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.). Anthidium manicatum is a highly invasive species. They were accidentally introduced into the northeastern U.S. from Europe and can now be found transcontinentally.

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 clypeusclypeus:
  a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
  is weakly convexconvex:
  curved outward
  with a strong tuberculate distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margin.
• Female labrumlabrum:
  part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
  has low basalbasal:
  originating at the foundation of a structure
  protuberances and large 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 six teeth.
• Female propodealpropodeal:
  the last segment of the thorax
  triangle is weakly shiny 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 weakly elevated with weakly imbricateimbricate:
  overlapping, like shingles or roof tiles
  and shiny areas between coarse punctures.
• Female T1–T5 depressed marginal zones are finely and densely punctatepunctate:
  studded with tiny holes
  .
• Female T1–T5 distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margins are 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
  discs are depressed and lack a laterallateral:
  relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
  spine.
• 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
  depressed apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  rim projects over one-third of the truncatetruncate:
  ending abruptly, or squared off
  distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margin.
• 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
  preapicalpreapical:
  referring to a section of a bee that is physically found just before the outermost (or apical) end of the section or segment
  carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  is slightly crenulatecrenulate:
  having a finely scalloped or notched outline or edge
  .
• Male fore femurfemur:
  the third segment of the leg, situated between the trochanter and the tibia
  has a carinatecarinate:
  having keels or carinae
  inferior margin.
• Male hind trochantertrochanter:
  segment of the insect leg between the coxa and the femur
  is posteriorly projected.
• Male labrumlabrum:
  part of the head abutting the clypeus, folds down in front of the mouthparts
  is transversely elevated at the base and concave medially with reduced 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.
• 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
  has a small reddish-brown brush of apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  hairs on the straight distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margin.
• 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
  with a small, blunt projection.
• 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
  distaldistal:
  place on a segment that is furthest from the place of attachment with the body
  margin is projected and sinuous.
• 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 long, narrow, bifidbifid:
  divided into two branches; forked
  , and ventrally bent.
• Male T2–T5 discal areas are laterally protuberantprotuberant:
  rising or produced above the surface or the general level of a feature
  .
• 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, longer, and more stout than 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 spiniform.

May be confused with

Anthidium manicatum can be distinguished from all other Anthidium by the yellow bandsbands:
usually referring to bands of hair or bands of color that traverse across an abdominal segment
 that form a “V-shape” on the tergaterga:
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
. Female A. manicatum can be distinguished by the combination of a tuberculate apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
margin on the clypeusclypeus:
a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
with simple, apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
, curly hairs; dense tomentumtomentum:
a form of pubescence composed of short matted, woolly hair
on the outer basitarsi; and carinatecarinate:
having keels or carinae
hind tibiatibia:
the segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus
. Male A. manicatum can be distinguished by the combination of T2–T5 with strong, laterallateral:
relating, pertaining, or attached to the side
protuberances and tufts of long hairs, and curved, spiniform projections 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
(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.).

Phenology

Anthidium manicatum adults have been recorded in flight from late January to early November, with peak activity occurring from June to September (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 manicatum is a generalist that has been observed visiting a variety of species within Acanthaceae, Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Crassulaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Lythraceae, Malvaceae, Plantaginaceae, and Verbenaceae (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

Anthidium manicatum nest in cavities or holes in wood or hollow plant stems, which increases their likelihood of being transported to new locations (Kurtak 1973Kurtak 1973:
Kurtak, B.H. 1973. Aspects of the biology of the European bee Anthidium manicatum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in New York State. MS Thesis. Cornell University.; Payne et al. 2011Payne et al. 2011:
Payne, A., D.A. Schildroth, and P.T. Starks. 2011. Nest site selection in the European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum , with methods for an emerging model species. Apidologie 42: 181ndash;191.). Nest cells are comprised of fibers from plant leaves and stems, such as woolly hedgenettle, Stachys byzantina (Müller et al. 1996). Males defend and exhibit territorial behavior around floral resources that are preferred by females (Pechuman 1967Pechuman 1967:
Pechuman, L.L. 1967. Observations on the behavior of the bee Anthidium manicatum (L). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 75: 68ndash;73.), and are known for violently attacking other bees that enter their territory (Wirtz et al. 1988Wirtz et al. 1988:
Wirtz, P., H. Szabados, H. Pethig, and J. Plant. 1988. An extreme case of interspecific territoriality: male Anthidium manicatum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) wound and kill intruders. Ethology 78: 159ndash;167.).

Distribution

Anthidium manicatum are native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Due to their strong ability to colonize populated places, they have since spread to other continents. They were initially introduced to the northeastern U.S. from Europe in 1963. They now occur in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and South America: Peru, Suriname, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Anthidium manicatum has a high potential to become a globally distributed invasive species (Strange et al. 2011Strange et al. 2011:
Strange, J.P., J.B. Koch, V.H. Gonzalez, L. Nemelka, and T. Griswold. 2011. Global invasion by Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): assessing potential distribution in North America and beyond. Biological Invasions 13: 2115.). They are restricted to human-modified habitats (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.

Kurtak, B.H. 1973. Aspects of the biology of the European bee Anthidium manicatum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in New York State. MS Thesis. Cornell University.

Müller, A., W. Topfl, and F. Amiet. 1996. Collection of extrafloral trichome secretions for nest wool impregnation in the solitary bee Anthidium manicatum. Naturwissenschaften 83: 230-232.

Payne, A., D.A. Schildroth, and P.T. Starks. 2011. Nest site selection in the European wool-carder bee, Anthidium manicatum, with methods for an emerging model species. Apidologie 42: 181-191.

Pechuman, L.L. 1967. Observations on the behavior of the bee Anthidium manicatum (L). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 75: 68-73.

Strange, J.P., J.B. Koch, V.H. Gonzalez, L. Nemelka, and T. Griswold. 2011. Global invasion by Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): assessing potential distribution in North America and beyond. Biological Invasions 13: 2115.

Wirtz, P., H. Szabados, H. Pethig, and J. Plant. 1988. An extreme case of interspecific territoriality: male Anthidium manicatum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) wound and kill intruders. Ethology 78: 159-167.