Osmia (Allosmia)

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Osmiini
Genus: Osmia Panzer, 1806
Subgenus: Allosmia Tkalců, 1974
Common name: none

Overview

Osmia (Allosmia) are non-metallic bees ranging in body length from 7.5–11 mm. They commonly have pale to red pubescencepubescence:
short, fine hair
that forms tergal fasciae. Males vary greatly in size. The large males are often larger than the females (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.).

Diagnostic characteristics

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

• Hind coxacoxa:
  the basal segment of the leg
  with longitudinal carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  along inner ventralventral:
  of, on, or relating to the underside of an animal, or segment of an animal
  angle; sometimes this carinacarina:
  a clearly defined ridge or keel, not necessarily high or acute; usually appears on bees as simply a raised line
  is weak and difficult to see.
• Malar space, where shortest, shorter than the width of pedicelpedicel:
  the second segment of the antennae, between the scape and flagellum
  .
• Maxillary palpus maxillary palpus:
  one of the pair of jointed, sensory structures carried on the maxilla of the mouth parts
  has five segments.
• Parapsidal lines linear but very short.
• Proboscis proboscis:
  an elongated sucking mouthpart that is typically tubular and flexible
  not reaching metasomametasoma:
  the posterior part of the body
  in repose.
• Tarsal claws simple.
• Male S2S2:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  is large and covers S3S3:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  medially.
• Male S3S3:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  with a hair-filled emarginationemargination:
  a notched or cut out place in an edge or margin, can be dramatic or simply a subtle inward departure from the general curve or line of the margin or structure being described
  medially.
• Male S6S6:
  the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
  has a broad, basalbasal:
  originating at the foundation of a structure
  depression.

May be confused with

Male O. (Allosmia) may be confused with male O. (Erythrosmia) due to the broad, basalbasal:
originating at the foundation of a structure
depressions on S6S6:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment to S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8
and the carinatecarinate:
having keels or carinae
hind coxaecoxae:
the basal segment of the leg
(Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). They can be differentiated by the number of segments on the maxillary palpusmaxillary palpus:
one of the pair of jointed, sensory structures carried on the maxilla of the mouth parts
: 5 on O. (Allosmia), 4 on O. (Erythrosmia) (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). It has been recommended that these subgenera be merged due to the similar characteristics (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.).

Host associations

Osmia (Allosmia) are generalists, and have been observed visiting Fabaceae, Convolvulaceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Cistaceae, Lamiaceae, Resedaceae, Papaveraceae, Campanulaceae, and Oxalidaceae (Banaszak and Romasenko 1998Banaszak and Romasenko 1998:
Banaszak, J. and L. Romasenko. 1998. Megachilid bees of Europe (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae). Bydgoszcz University, Bydgoszcz, Poland.; Müller 2018b).

Nesting behavior

Osmia (Allosmia) construct the cells in their nests in abandoned snail shells. Partitions and nest plugs are often made out of chewed leaf materials. Sometimes the chewed leaf material is mixed in with stones, broken snail shells, and dirt. Shells are then often buried in the ground or moved and hidden under rocks or vegetation (Westrich 1989Westrich 1989:
Westrich, P. 1989. Die Wildbienen Baden-Wuuml;rttembergs. Eugen Ulmer GmbH amp; Co., Stuttgart, 972 pp.; Müller 2018).

Diversity

Osmia (Allosmia) contains nine species (Müller 2018b). None are known to occur in the U.S. or Canada.

Known invasives

There are no known invasives.

Distribution

Osmia (Allosmia) can be found in central, southern, and eastern Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern and northern Asia (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.; Nadimi et al. 2013Nadimi et al. 2013:
Nadimi, A., A.A. Talebi, and Y. Fathipour. 2013. The tribe Osmiini (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in the north of Iran: new records and distributional data. Entomofauna 34: 205ndash;220.; Müller 2018).

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

References

Banaszak, J. and L. Romasenko. 1998. Megachilid bees of Europe (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae). Bydgoszcz University, Bydgoszcz: 239.

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

Müller, A. 2018. Palaearctic Osmiine Bees, ETH Zürich, http://blogs.ethz.ch/osmiini

Nadimi, A., A.A. Talebi, and Y. Fathipour. 2013. The tribe Osmiini (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in the north of Iran: new records and distributional data. Entomofauna 34:205-220.

Westrich, P. 1989. Die Wildienen Baden-Wurttembergs: Allgemeiner Teil, pp. 1-431; Speizieller Teil, pp. 437-972. Strttgart: Eugene Ulmer.