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Photo#2061017
Megachile on Ericameria nauseosa - Megachile - female

Megachile on Ericameria nauseosa - Megachile - Female
Sevenmile Creek, 8 km NW of Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA
September 21, 2021
Size: 17.5 mm
Female megachilid visiting Ericameria nauseosa flowers. Sunny, midday, wind varying from calm to gentle breeze, mostly good air quality, 56 F to 64 F. Mostly level grassland dominated by a mixture of low-diversity Agropyron cristatum-dominated areas and more diverse native grassland with Agropyron spicatum and A. smithii.

Elevation ca 4000 feet. Disturbed riparian corridor on stream restoration site within a patchwork of native and non-native grassland.

Megachile fortis? Consulted Sheffield et al 2011 (Leafcutter and mason bees of the genus Megachile in Canada and Alaska) in an attempt to get to a species. Metasoma tapered rather than parallel-sided; sterna without white fascia underneath the scopae; terga with pale fasciae; mandibles with 5 teeth. It appeared to me that the emargination is deeper between the 3rd and 4th teeth of the mandible than between the 2nd and 3rd. This plus the emargination between the 3rd and the 4th teeth about 3x the width of the 4th tooth, and the large body (>15 mm) would suggest M. fortis.

Images of this individual: tag all
Megachile on Ericameria nauseosa - Megachile - female Megachile on Ericameria nauseosa - Megachile - female Megachile on Ericameria nauseosa - Megachile - female Megachile on Ericameria nauseosa - Megachile - female

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