Osmia cornuta

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Osmiini
Genus: Osmia Panzer, 1806
Subgenus: O. (Osmia) Panzer, 1806
Species: Osmia cornuta Latreille, 1805
Common name: European orchard bee

Overview

Osmia (Osmia) cornutaare bees with a slight metallic blue or blue-green hue. Females sometimes have a metallic bronze shimmer to the abdomen, entirely black or intermixed black and pale hairs on their head and thorax, and reddish-orange hairs on their abdomen (Amiet et al. 2004Amiet et al. 2004:
Amiet, F., M. Herrmann, A. Mueller, and R. Neumeyer. 2004. Apidae 4: Anthidium , Chelostoma , Coelioxys , Dioxys , Heriades , Lithurgus , Megachile , Osmia , Stelis . Fauna Helvetica 9: 1ndash;273.). Males are as the females with exception that they usually have intermixed white and black hairs on the thorax and face. (Amiet et al. 2004Amiet et al. 2004:
Amiet, F., M. Herrmann, A. Mueller, and R. Neumeyer. 2004. Apidae 4: Anthidium , Chelostoma , Coelioxys , Dioxys , Heriades , Lithurgus , Megachile , Osmia , Stelis . Fauna Helvetica 9: 1ndash;273.). Female body length is 12–15 mm, and male body length is 11–13 mm (Amiet et al. 2004Amiet et al. 2004:
Amiet, F., M. Herrmann, A. Mueller, and R. Neumeyer. 2004. Apidae 4: Anthidium , Chelostoma , Coelioxys , Dioxys , Heriades , Lithurgus , Megachile , Osmia , Stelis . Fauna Helvetica 9: 1ndash;273.).

Diagnostic characteristics 

(from Peters 1978Peters 1978:
Peters, D.S. 1978. Systematik und Zoogeographie der west-palauml;arktischen Arten von Osmia Panzer, 1806 s. str., Monosmia Tkalcu, 1974 und Orientosmia n. subgen. (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Senckenbergiana Biologica (Frankfurt) 58: 287ndash;346.; Amiet et al. 2004Amiet et al. 2004:
Amiet, F., M. Herrmann, A. Mueller, and R. Neumeyer. 2004. Apidae 4: Anthidium , Chelostoma , Coelioxys , Dioxys , Heriades , Lithurgus , Megachile , Osmia , Stelis . Fauna Helvetica 9: 1ndash;273.)

• Mouthparts much shorter than the length of the entire body when extended.
• Female clypeusclypeus:
  a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
  is smooth, indented, and has two curved horns projected from the middle.
• Female mandiblemandible:
  bee teeth, so to speak, usually crossed and folded in front of the mouth
  second tooth has a small cutting edge.
• 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
  is acute.
• Male clypeusclypeus:
  a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
  has a small notch in the middle.
• 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
  is rounded at the apexapex:
  end of any structure
  .

May be confused with 

Osmia cornuta may be confused with O. bicornis due to the presence of two projections on the middle leading edge of the clypeusclypeus:
a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
and males with a small notch on the middle front edge of the clypeusclypeus:
a section of the face below the antennae, demarcated by the epistomal sutures
(Peters 1978Peters 1978:
Peters, D.S. 1978. Systematik und Zoogeographie der west-palauml;arktischen Arten von Osmia Panzer, 1806 s. str., Monosmia Tkalcu, 1974 und Orientosmia n. subgen. (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Senckenbergiana Biologica (Frankfurt) 58: 287ndash;346.). Osmia cornuta can be differentiated from O. bicornis by the acute 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
in females and rounded 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
in males (Peters 1978Peters 1978:
Peters, D.S. 1978. Systematik und Zoogeographie der west-palauml;arktischen Arten von Osmia Panzer, 1806 s. str., Monosmia Tkalcu, 1974 und Orientosmia n. subgen. (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Senckenbergiana Biologica (Frankfurt) 58: 287ndash;346.; Amiet et al. 2004Amiet et al. 2004:
Amiet, F., M. Herrmann, A. Mueller, and R. Neumeyer. 2004. Apidae 4: Anthidium , Chelostoma , Coelioxys , Dioxys , Heriades , Lithurgus , Megachile , Osmia , Stelis . Fauna Helvetica 9: 1ndash;273.).

Phenology

Osmia cornuta phenology is strongly associated with the blooming of fruit trees. Male adults have been recorded in flight from February to May; females fly from March to early June (Amiet et al. 2004Amiet et al. 2004:
Amiet, F., M. Herrmann, A. Mueller, and R. Neumeyer. 2004. Apidae 4: Anthidium , Chelostoma , Coelioxys , Dioxys , Heriades , Lithurgus , Megachile , Osmia , Stelis . Fauna Helvetica 9: 1ndash;273.).

Host associations 

Osmia cornuta are generalists and have been observed collecting pollen from 13 different plant families. They are important pollinators of fruit trees and plants within the Rosaceae family (Westrich 1989Westrich 1989:
Westrich, P. 1989. Die Wildbienen Baden-Wuuml;rttembergs. Eugen Ulmer GmbH amp; Co., Stuttgart, 972 pp.; Amiet et al. 2004Amiet et al. 2004:
Amiet, F., M. Herrmann, A. Mueller, and R. Neumeyer. 2004. Apidae 4: Anthidium , Chelostoma , Coelioxys , Dioxys , Heriades , Lithurgus , Megachile , Osmia , Stelis . Fauna Helvetica 9: 1ndash;273.; Haider et al. 2013Haider et al. 2013:
Haider, M. S. Dorn, C. Sedivy, A. Muuml;ller. 2013. Phylogeny and floral hosts of a predominantly pollen generalist group of mason bees (Megachilidae: Osmiini). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 111: 78ndash;91.).

Nesting behavior 

Osmia cornuta nests in insect burrows in soil, drilled borings in wooden blocks and pithy stems, hollow stems, crevices/holes in walls and rocks, and empty snail shells (Friese 1923Friese 1923:
Friese, H. 1923. Die europäischen Bienen (Apidae). Das Leben und Wirken unserer Blumenwespen. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 456 pp.; Westrich 1989Westrich 1989:
Westrich, P. 1989. Die Wildbienen Baden-Wuuml;rttembergs. Eugen Ulmer GmbH amp; Co., Stuttgart, 972 pp.; Bosch et al. 1993Bosch et al. 1993:
Bosch, J., N. Vicens, and M. Blas. 1993. Analisis de los nidos de algunos Megachilidae nidificantes en cavidades pre-establecidas. Orsis 8: 53ndash;63.; Müller et al. 1997). The nest is divided into a series of cells. Cell partitions and nest plugs are constructed out of mud. In large cavities, the cell is comprised almost entirely of mud (Westrich 1989Westrich 1989:
Westrich, P. 1989. Die Wildbienen Baden-Wuuml;rttembergs. Eugen Ulmer GmbH amp; Co., Stuttgart, 972 pp.; Müller et al. 1997; Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.).

Distribution

Osmia cornuta is native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia (Russo 2016Russo 2016:
Russo, L. 2016. Positive and negative impacts of non-native bee species around the world. Insects 7: 69.). O. cornuta were most likely intentionally introduced in the 1980s to the U.S. from Spain for commercial pollination, however, their establishment has not been documented (Russo 2016Russo 2016:
Russo, L. 2016. Positive and negative impacts of non-native bee species around the world. Insects 7: 69.).

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

References

Amiet, F., M. Herrmann, A. Müller, and R. Neumeyer. 2004. Apidae 4: Anthidium, Chelostoma, Coelioxys, Dioxys, Heriades, Lithurgus, Megachile, Osmia, Stelis. Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Faune (CSCF)/Schweizerische Entomologische Gesellschaft (SEG).

Asensio, E. 1984. Osmia (Osmia) cornuta Latr. pollinisateur potentiel des arbes fruitiers en Espagne (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). Ve Symposium International sur la Pollinisation: 461-465.

Bosch, J., N. Vicens, and M. Blas. 1993. Analisis de los nidos de algunos Megachilidae nidificantes en cavidades pre-establecidas. Orsis 8: 53-63.

Friese, H. 1923. Die europäischen Bienen (Apidae). Das Leben und Wirken unserer Blumenwespen. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 456 pp.

Haider, M. S. Dorn, C. Sedivy, and A. Müller. 2013. Phylogeny and floral hosts of a predominantly pollen generalist group of mason bees (Megachilidae: Osmiini). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 111: 78-91.

Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World. 2nd ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.

Müller, A., A. Krebs, and F. Amiet. 1997. Bienen: Mitteleuropäische Gattungen, Lebensweise, Beobachtung. Naturbuch Verlag, Augsburg, pp. 384.

Peters, D.S. 1978. Systematik und zoogeographie der west-paläarktischen arten von Osmia Panzer 1806 s. str. Monosmia Tkalcu 1974 und Orientosmia n. subgenera (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Senckenbergiana Biology 58: 287-346.

Russo, L. 2016. Positive and negative impacts on non-native bee species around the world. Insects 7: 69.

Scheuchl, E. 2006. Illustrierte Bestimmungstabellen der Wildbienen Deutschlands und Österreichs. Vol. 2, Megachilidae-Melittidae. Erwin Scheuchl und Apollo Books, 116 pp.

Tasei, J.N. 1973. Le comportement de nidification chez Osmia (Osmia) cornuta Latr. et Osmia (Osmia) rufa L. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Apidologie 4: 195-225.

Vicens, N. and J. Bosch. 2000. Weather-dependent pollinator activity in an apple orchard, with special reference to Osmia cornuta and Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae and Apidae). Environmental Entomology 29: 413-420.

Vicens, N., J. Bosch, and M. Blas. 1993. Analisis de los nidos de algunas Osmia (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) nidificantes en cavidades preestablecidae. Orsi 8: 41-52.

Westrich, P. 1989. Die Wildbienen Baden-Württembergs. Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co., Stuttgart.