Anthidium (Proanthidium)

Taxonomy

Family: Megachilidae
Subfamily: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Genus: Anthidium Fabricius, 1804
Subgenus: Proanthidium Friese, 1898
Common name: none

Overview

Anthidium (Proanthidium) are black bees with yellow markings and abdominal bandsbands:
usually referring to bands of hair or bands of color that traverse across an abdominal segment
that are typically broken, but lack an 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
(Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). They range in body length from 7–12 mm (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). One species, A. oblongatum, is invasive in the U.S. and Canada. This species is of special interest because it is the first species of Anthidium to be documented entering the nest of a social Hymenoptera, Bombus impatiens (Graham 2018Graham 2018:
Graham, K.K. 2018. Heterospecific Hymenoptera found inside the nests of Bombus impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 51: 1ndash;4.). The night temperatures leading up to the discovery of A. oblongatum in B. impatiens hives were uncharacteristically low, so it is possible that the A. oblongatum specimens were attempting to find a warm place to reside at night (Graham 2018Graham 2018:
Graham, K.K. 2018. Heterospecific Hymenoptera found inside the nests of Bombus impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 51: 1ndash;4.). However, if A. oblongatum were inside the hive in order to rob resources, this would cause a negative impact on the native bee population. More research is needed in order to determine the motivation behind the nest intrusion (Graham 2018Graham 2018:
Graham, K.K. 2018. Heterospecific Hymenoptera found inside the nests of Bombus impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 51: 1ndash;4.).

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.)

• Pronotal lobe pronotal lobe:
  a part of the pronotum located dorsally on the posterior margin of the pronotum and overlaps the anterior thoracic spiracle
  lamellatelamellate:
  thin, plate-like, often somewhat translucent structure
  .
• Scutellum scutellum:
  shield shaped plate behind scutum
  is carinatecarinate:
  having keels or carinae
  laterally but not medially.
• Scutellum scutellum:
  shield shaped plate behind scutum
  often produced to a tooth or an angle near the axillaaxilla:
  the triangular or rounded point on the thorax where thoracic muscles meet the forewing of an insect
  .
• Female hind basitarsusbasitarsus:
  the segment of the tarsus that is the nearest to the body of the bee, usually the largest of all the tarsal segments
  at least four times longer than broad.
• 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
  concave in profile.
• 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
  has a deep 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
  which forms two rounded lobes.

May be confused with

Anthidium (Proanthidium) may be confused with bees in the genus Dianthidium due to similar body morphology (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). Some A. (Proanthidium) may also be confused with bees in the genus Pseudoanthidium due to the presence of a laterally carinatecarinate:
having keels or carinae
scutellum, with the production of a tooth or angle near the axillaaxilla:
the triangular or rounded point on the thorax where thoracic muscles meet the forewing of an insect
, and the presence of a concave 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
(Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). However, A. (Proanthidium) can be differentiated from Dianthidium and Pseudoanthidium due to the distinguishing characteristics listed above as well as the generic characters (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

Anthidium (Proanthidium) are mostly generalists (Müller 1996). Anthidium rotundum has a preference for thistles (Cardueae), while A. undulatum has a preference for Fabaceae and Lamiaceae (Müller 1996; Khodaparast and Monfared 2012Khodaparast and Monfared 2012:
Khodaparast, R. and A. Monfared. 2012. A survey of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) from Fars Province, Iran. Zootaxa 3445: 37ndash;58.).

Nesting behavior

Anthidium oblongatum nests in preexisting cavities. Cell partitions are comprised of a cottony plant down (O’Brien et al. 2012; Onuferko et al. 2015Onuferko et al. 2015:
Onuferko, T.M., R. Kutby, and M.H. Richards. 2015. A list of bee species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) recorded from three municipalities in the Niagara region of Ontario, including a new record of Lasioglossum furunculum Gibbs (Halictidae) in Canada. JESO 146: 3ndash;22.; Discover Life 2018Discover Life 2018:
Discover Life. 2018. Anthidium (Gulanthidium) . Discover Life. https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20p?see=Gulanthidiumamp;name=Anthidiumamp;flags=subgenus:amp;mobile=1).

Diversity

Anthidium (Proanthidium) consists of eight species, one of which (A. oblongatum) is invasive in the U.S. and Canada (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.).

Known invasives

Anthidium oblongatum is the only known invasive, and was accidentally introduced from Europe in the 1990s (Russo 2016Russo 2016:
Russo, L. 2016. Positive and negative impacts of non-native bee species around the world. Insects 7: 69.). The species has since spread throughout the eastern U.S. and southern Canada (Hoebeke and Wheeler 1999Hoebeke and Wheeler 1999:
Hoebeke, E.R. and A.G. Wheeler, Jr. 1999. Anthidium oblongatum (Illiger): an old world bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) new to North America, and new North America records for another adventive species, A. manicatum (L.). The University of Kansas Natural History Museum Special Publication 24: 21ndash;24.; Miller et al. 2002Miller et al. 2002:
Miller, S.R., R. Gaebel, R.J. Mitchell, and M. Arduser. 2002. Occurrence of two species of old world bees, Anthidium manicatum and A. oblongatum (Apoidea: Megachilidae), in Northern Ohio and Southern Michigan. The Michigan Entomology Society 35: 65ndash;69.; Romankova 2003Romankova 2003:
Romankova, T. 2003. Ontario nest-building bees of the tribe Anthidiini (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario 134: 85ndash;89.; Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.; Maier 2009Maier 2009:
Maier, C.T. 2009. New distributional records of three species of Megachilidae (Hymenoptera) from Connecticut and nearby states. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 111: 775ndash;784.; Tonietto and Ascher 2009Tonietto and Ascher 2009:
Tonietto, R.K. and J.S. Ascher. 2009. Occurrence of the old world bee species Hylaeus hyalinatus , Anthidium manicatum , A. oblongatum , and Megachilidae sculpturalis , and the native species Coelioxys banksi, Lasioglossum michiganense, and L. zophops in Illinois (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 41: 200ndash;203.).

Distribution

Anthidium (Proanthidium) occur from Portugal through the Mediterranean Basin, north to Europe, and east through Asia (Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.). One species, A. oblongatum, which is invasive to the U.S., occurs in the eastern U.S. in Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Connecticut, and southern Canada (Hoebeke and Wheeler 1999Hoebeke and Wheeler 1999:
Hoebeke, E.R. and A.G. Wheeler, Jr. 1999. Anthidium oblongatum (Illiger): an old world bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) new to North America, and new North America records for another adventive species, A. manicatum (L.). The University of Kansas Natural History Museum Special Publication 24: 21ndash;24.; Miller et al. 2002Miller et al. 2002:
Miller, S.R., R. Gaebel, R.J. Mitchell, and M. Arduser. 2002. Occurrence of two species of old world bees, Anthidium manicatum and A. oblongatum (Apoidea: Megachilidae), in Northern Ohio and Southern Michigan. The Michigan Entomology Society 35: 65ndash;69.; Romankova 2003Romankova 2003:
Romankova, T. 2003. Ontario nest-building bees of the tribe Anthidiini (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario 134: 85ndash;89.; Michener 2007Michener 2007:
Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 953 pp.; Maier 2009Maier 2009:
Maier, C.T. 2009. New distributional records of three species of Megachilidae (Hymenoptera) from Connecticut and nearby states. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 111: 775ndash;784.; Tonietto and Ascher 2009Tonietto and Ascher 2009:
Tonietto, R.K. and J.S. Ascher. 2009. Occurrence of the old world bee species Hylaeus hyalinatus , Anthidium manicatum , A. oblongatum , and Megachilidae sculpturalis , and the native species Coelioxys banksi, Lasioglossum michiganense, and L. zophops in Illinois (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 41: 200ndash;203.).

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

References

Discover Life. 2018. Anthidium oblongatum (Illiger, 1806). Discover Life. http://www.discoverlife.org/20/q?search=Anthidium+oblongatum

Graham, K.K. 2018. Heterospecific Hymenoptera found inside the nests of Bombus impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 51: 1-4.

Hoebeke, E.R. and A.G. Wheeler, Jr. 1999. Anthidium oblongatum (Illiger): an old worldOld World:
the part of the world that was known before the discovery of the Americas, comprised of Europe, Asia, and Africa; the Eastern Hemisphere
bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) new to North America, and new North America records for another adventive species, A. manicatum(L.). The University of Kansas Natural History Museum Special Publication 24: 21-24.

Khodaparast, R. and A. Monfared. 2012. A survey of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) from Fars Province, Iran. Zootaxa 3445: 37-58.

Maier, C.T. 2009. New distributional records of three species of Megachilidae (Hymenoptera) from Connecticut and nearby states. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 111: 775-784.

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

Miller, S.R., R. Gaebel, R.J. Mitchell, and M. Arduser. 2002. Occurrence of two species of old worldOld World:
the part of the world that was known before the discovery of the Americas, comprised of Europe, Asia, and Africa; the Eastern Hemisphere
bees, Anthidium manicatum and A. oblongatum(Apoidea: Megachilidae), in northern Ohio and southern Michigan. The Great Lakes Entomologist 35: 65-69.

Muller, A. 1996. Host plant specialization in western PalearcticPalearctic:
the largest biogeographic region; consists of Europe, Asia north of the Himalaya foothills, Northern Africa, and the northern and central parts of the Arabian Peninsula
anthidiine bees. Ecological Monographs 66: 235-257.

O’Brien, M.F., D.R. Swanson, and J. Monsma. 2012. Anthidium oblongatum (Apoidea: Megachilidae) confirmed as a Michigan resident, with notes on other Michigan Anthidium species. The Great Lakes Entomologist 45: 102-105.

Onuferko, T.M., R. Kutby, and M.H. Richards. 2015. A list of bee species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) recorded from three municipalities in the Niagara region of Ontario, including a new record of Lasioglossum furunculum Gibbs (Halictidae) in Canada. JESO 146: 3-22.

Romankova, T. 2003. Ontario nest-building bees of the tribe Anthidiini (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario 134: 85-89.

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

Tonietto, R.K. and J.S. Ascher. 2009. Occurrence of the old worldOld World:
the part of the world that was known before the discovery of the Americas, comprised of Europe, Asia, and Africa; the Eastern Hemisphere
bee species Hylaeus hyalinatus, Anthidium manicatum, A. oblongatum, and Megachilidae sculpturalis, and the native species Coelioxys banksi, Lasioglossum michiganense, and L. zophops in Illinois (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 41: 200-203.