Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Megachilini
Genus: Megachile Latreille, 1802
Subgenus: Melanosarus Mitchell, 1934
Common name: none
Megachile (Melanosarus) are almost entirely black bees with black integument and all or largely black hairs (Michener 2007; Gonzalez 2008). They range in body length from 10–16 mm (Michener 2007).
(modified from Mitchell 1937a; Michener 2007; Gonzalez 2008)
Male Megachile (Melanosarus) may be confused with bees within the subgenus Megachile (Pseudocentron) because females in both subgenera have reduced scopal hairs on S6 and males in both lack a mid-tibial spur. However, Megachile (Pseudocentron) males have an immovable prong or tooth on the mid-tibia that is absent in Megachile (Melanosarus) (Mitchell 1937a; Michener 2007). Female Megachile (Melanosarus) can be differentiated from Megachile (Pseudocentron) by their mandible, which is five-toothed and has a long cutting edge in the second interspace (Michener 2007).
Megachile (Melanosarus) have been observed visiting flowers of plants in the families Anacardiaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Arecaceae, Asteraceae, Haemodoraceae, Onagraceae and Smilacaceae (Deyrup et al. 2002; Hall and Ascher 2010).
Megachile (Melanosarus) nests in pre-existing cavities, including in bamboo and cardboard trap nests (Eickwort et al. 1981; Marques and Gaglianone 2013). They have been observed constructing their nests from pieces of cut leaves (Marques and Gaglianone 2013).
Megachile (Melanosarus) is a subgenus of eight species, two of which occur in the U.S. (Michener 2007).
There are no known invasives.
Megachile (Melanosarus) are distributed across North and South America. They are found from the state of Maryland, U.S., to Argentina in South America (Michener 2007).
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