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For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Genus Osmia - Mason Bees

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Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
No Taxon (Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps)
No Taxon (Anthophila (Apoidea) - Bees)
Family Megachilidae (Leaf-cutter bees, Mason Bees, and allies)
Subfamily Megachilinae
Tribe Osmiini
Genus Osmia (Mason Bees)
Explanation of Names
Author: Panzer, 1806
Numbers
Nearctica lists approximately 140 species.
Identification
Metallic green, blue or blue-green, with short, robust body.
Season
Most species early-late spring, a few active in summer.
Food
Many species visit Vaccinium, including blueberries, and other Ericaceae.
Remarks
Variety of nesting; some excavate in the soil, others use hollow stems. They partition the cells with walls made of clay or other materials.