Megachile (Trichurochile)

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Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Megachilini
Genus: Megachile Latreille, 1802
Subgenus: Trichurochile Titus, 1906
Common name: none

Overview

Megachile (Trichurochile) have black or red integument and pale white to yellow-gold hair on their body. They range in body length from 10–12 mm (Michener 2007).

Diagnostic characteristics

(modified from Michener 2007; Gonzalez 2008)

• Female mandible is four-toothed with the innermost tooth incised, sometimes giving it the appearance of having five teeth.
• Female mandible second interspace with a distinct but incomplete cutting edge.
• Female sterna with white apical hair bands beneath the scopa.
• Male mandible is three-toothed.
• Male T6 preapical carina is emarginate with a fringe of long, plumose hairs that fill the emargination.

May be confused with

Female Megachile (Trichurochile) may be confused with bees within the subgenus Megachile (Austromegachile) due to both groups having white apical hair bands under the sternal scopa (Michener 2007). Female Megachile (Trichurochile) have complete white apical hair bands, whereas Megachile (Austromegachile) have broken bands. Male Megachile (Trichurochile) can be differentiated from other Megachile subgenera by the hair-filled emargination of the T6 carina (Michener 2007).

Host associations

Megachile (Trichurochile) have been observed collecting pollen from Asteraceae, Begoniaceae, Lamiaceae, Melastomataceae, Solanaceae, and Styracaceae (Harter et al. 2002; Raw 2007; Mouga et al. 2012).

Nesting behavior

Megachile (Trichurochile) have been observed lining their nests with cut leaves (Raw 2007).

Diversity

Megachile (Trichurochile) consists of five species; none are known to occur in the U.S. or Canada (Raw 2007).

Known invasives

There are no known invasives.

Distribution

Megachile (Trichurochile) are found in South America where they have been collected in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and northern Argentina (Michener 2007; Raw 2007).

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