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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Apoidea (clade Anthophila) - Bees » Leafcutter, Mason, and Resin Bees, and allies (Megachilidae) » Leafcutter, Resin, Mortar, Sharptail, Mason, and Woolcarder bees and relatives (Megachilinae) » Leafcutter, Resin, Mortar, and Sharptail bees (Megachilini) » Leafcutter and Resin Bees (Megachile) » Subgenus Eutricharaea (Megachile Subgenus Eutricharaea) » Alfalfa Leaf-cutter Bee (Megachile rotundata)

Species Megachile rotundata - Alfalfa Leaf-cutter Bee

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Remarks · Internet References

Halictus? bee in catmint - Megachile rotundata - female

Halictidae: Halictus? - Megachile rotundata

Small Leafcutter Bee - Megachile rotundata - male

Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee - Megachile rotundata

Leaf-cutter bee (Megachile sp.) capping her nest - Megachile rotundata - female

Small Solitary Bee - Megachile rotundata

Megachile Eutricharaea - Megachile rotundata - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)

No Taxon (Apoidea (clade Anthophila) - Bees)

Family Megachilidae (Leafcutter, Mason, and Resin Bees, and allies)

Subfamily Megachilinae (Leafcutter, Resin, Mortar, Sharptail, Mason, and Woolcarder bees and relatives)

Tribe Megachilini (Leafcutter, Resin, Mortar, and Sharptail bees)

Genus Megachile (Leafcutter and Resin Bees)

No Taxon (Subgenus Eutricharaea)

Species rotundata (Alfalfa Leaf-cutter Bee)

Other Common Names

Lucerne Leaf-cutter Bee

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Apis rotundata Fabricius, 1793

Apis pacifica Panzer, 1798

Megachile imbecilla Gerstäcker, 1869

Explanation of Names

Megachile rotundata (Fabricius, 1793)

Size

Female 8-9 mm. Male 7-8 mm.

Identification

Narrow white sternal hair bands.

Range

Almost worldwide.

Discover Life Global Map

Season

It flies in June, July and August.

Food

The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known floral associations based on specimen records and images.

Remarks

Introduced from the Old World sometime after the 1930s.

Internet References

Contributed by Ted Kropiewnicki on 6 August, 2008 - 7:24pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, John S. Ascher, Vox Sciurorum, hg, PaleoJon, Nathaniel Green
Last updated 25 May, 2023 - 2:54pm

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