Anthidium cockerelli

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Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Anthidium Fabricius, 1804
Subgenus: A. (Anthidium) Fabricius, 1804
Species: Anthidium cockerelli Schwarz, 1928
Common name: none

Overview

Anthidium (Anthidium) cockerelli are dark brown to black with yellow or cream-colored maculations (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013). Females have white pubescence except for the yellow hairs found on the vertex, scutum, axilla, and scutellum, and the brown hairs on the inner tarsi and sternal scopa. Females range in body length from 7.7–10.0 mm (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013). Males have pale pubescence on the vertex, scutum, and scutellum. Males range in body length from 8.5–13.1 mm (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013).

Diagnostic characteristics

(modified from Gonzalez and Griswold 2013)

• Female fore basitarsi covered in dense white tomentum.
• Female labrum lacks basal protuberances and has large preapical projections that are curved upwards.
• Female mandible has 5–6 teeth.
• Female sternal scopa is white, at least laterally.
• Female terga have fine, sparse punctuations that are 2–3 puncture widths apart on the disc.
• Female terga have punctures on the depressed marginal zone that are 1–3 puncture widths apart medially.
• Female hind tibia without anterior carina.
• Female T6 lacks lateral spine and is elevated along the midline.
• Male labrum preapical projections are tuberculate.
• Male S4 has a short, pale to light reddish-brown median apical brush hidden by long, branched, pale hairs.
• Male S6 lateral lobe is absent.
• Male median lobe is truncate, and sometimes notched apically.
• Male S7 apically rounded.
• Male S8 apical process is pointed and triangular.
• Male T6 lateral spine is straight.
• Male T7 lateral lobe is rounded at the apex and 1.5 times broader than the distance between the inner margin and the median spine.

May be confused with

Female Anthidium cockerelli can be easily distinguished from other Anthidium (Anthidium) species by the lack of a tibial carina; basitarsi densely covered in white tomentum; white sternal scopa; terga with fine, sparse punctures; and lack of a lateral spine on T6 (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013). Male Anthidium cockerelli can be easily distinguished from other Anthidium (Anthidium) species by lateral lobe of T7 which is rounded at the apex; S6 lacks a lateral lobe and has a small, sclerotized median lobe; and S8 with a pointed apical process (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013).

Phenology

Anthidium cockerelli adults have been recorded in flight from February to June, with peak activity occurring from April to mid-June (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013).

Host associations

Anthidium cockerelli are generalists that have been observed visiting a variety of species within Asclepiadaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Cactaceae, Fabaceae, Grossulariaceae, Krameriaceae, Lamiaceae, Loasaceae, Malvaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Onagraceae, Papaveraceae, Plantaginaceae, Polygonaceae, Ranunculaceae, Tamaricaceae, and Zygophyllaceae (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013).

Nesting behavior

Anthidium cockerelli have been observed actively nesting in soil (Cane 1996).

Distribution

Anthidium cockerelli occur throughout southern California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, Arizona, southern New Mexico, and western Texas within the U.S. (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013). In Mexico, they are found in Baja California, Durango, and Coahuila. Their distribution is restricted to hot deserts, such as the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts, as well as the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin (Gonzalez and Griswold 2013).

​Distribution map generated by Discover Life -- click on map for details, credits, and terms of use.