Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Megachilini
Genus: Megachile Latreille, 1802
Subgenus: Chalicodomoides Michener, 1962
Common name: none
Megachile (Chalicodomoides) are robust bees with black integument and mostly black hair (King and Exley 1985; Michener 2007; Gonzalez 2008). They range in body length from 13–18 mm (Michener 2007).
(modified from Michener 2007; Gonzalez 2008)
Megachile (Chalicodomoides) may be confused with bees within the subgenus Chalicodoma as both have slender mandibles with oblique apical margins (Michener 2007). Females can be differentiated from Chalicodoma by the three-toothed mandible and clypeus shape, and males by the unique sub-erect flap on S1 (Michener 2007).
Megachile (Chalicodomoides) has been observed visiting Myrtaceae (King and Exley 1985a).
Megachile (Chalicodomoides), specifically Megachile aethiops, have been observed reusing the old nests of potter wasps (Abispa sp.) and mud dauber wasps (Sceliphron sp.), and then completely covering the nests with resin (Houston 2018; Matthews and Matthews 2009).
Megachile (Chalicodomoides) consists of two species: M. aethiops and M. doddiana, (Michener 2007). None are known to occur in the U.S. or Canada.
There are no known invasives.
Megachile (Chalicodomoides) is an Australian subgenus, and has been recorded across northern Australia from Queensland to the state of Western Australia (Michener 2007).
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