Megachile leachella♀︎

Last update: 23 November 2024


Rare

Species Megachile leachella
Genus MEGACHILE (Leafcutter bees)
Family MEGACHILIDAE



Ecological role pollinator

Activity
janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec

Observations
2020-VI-13
Months
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Years
2020

Nesting strategy Hypergeic
Nestarchitecture Broodcells



Megachile leachella ♀︎, on Bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

1. DISTRIBUTION

M. leachella [Soortenregister] is a rare species that can be found mainly at the coast and in the most souther part of the Netherlands [Waarneming.nl].

2. BEHAVIOUR

2.1. ACTIVITY

The species is active from May to August [Waarneming.nl],[Peeters et al. 2012].

2.2. DEVELOPMENT

The female nests in existing cavities, like hollow stems or old bore holes in wood, or she digs a nest herself in sand ground with little growth, like a vertical wall. She covers the nest walls with cut leaves and fills the nest up with sand [Peeters et al. 2012].

2.3. POLLENSOURCES

M. leachella is polylectic and uses the following plants as pollen source [Wildebijen.nl],[Peeters et al. 2012]:

Legume
(Leguminosae)
– Bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
– Common restharrow (Ononis repens)
– Spiny restharrow (Ononis spinosa)
– Lucerne (Medicago sativa)
Resedaceae– Wild mignonette (Reseda lutea)

Except for Spiny restharrow all these plants can be found in the garden.

3. PARASITIC RELATIONS

Sharp tailed bees (COELIOXYS) are primary parasites of M. leachella [Wildebijen.nl],[Peeters et al. 2012], they are cleptoparasites.

The following parasites cited in literature can be found in the Netherlands:

Bees
(COELIOXYS)
C. afra [Wildebijen.nl],[Peeters et al. 2012]
C. elongata [Wildebijen.nl],[Peeters et al. 2012]
C. inermis [Wildebijen.nl],[Peeters et al. 2012]
C. mandibularis [Wildebijen.nl],[Peeters et al. 2012]
C. rufescens [Peeters et al. 2012]
Wasps
(
CHALICIDOIDEA)
Monodontomerus obsoletus [Peeters et al. 2012]
Melittobia acasta [Peeters et al. 2012]

I’ve observed Shapr tailed bees twice in the garden, but the species are not clear. In one of the observations it was either a female C. elongata or C. inermis.

4. IDENTIFICATION

The females and males of  M. pilidens are difficult M. leachella. For an extensive description of the differences see [Peeters et al. 2006].


Megachile leachella ♀︎, on Bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

1. White scopa [Wildebijen.nl]

Megachile leachella ♀︎, white scopa

2. Tergite 6 with two felt-like white hair spots [Wildebijen.nl]

Megachile leachella ♀︎, tergite 6 with white felt-like spots

3. Tergite 3 coarser puntated [Peeters et al. 2012]
– only difference with M. pilidens which has finer punctation [Peeters et al. 2006]

4. Space between punctation more glossy and about as large as punctation [Wildebijen.nl].

Megachile leachella ♀︎, tergite 3 with coarser punctation

5. Clypeus very shallow cut out [Wildebijen.nl]

1. Front tarsus darkbrown to black [Wildebijen.nl]

2. Front tarsus at most basally a little yellow-white, less heartshaped [Peeters et al. 2006]
– only difference with M. pilidens

3. Coxa frontleg with clear thorn [Wildebijen.nl]

4. Tergites with white hairbands [Wildebijen.nl]

5. Tergite 6 entirely or partly with white hairs [Wildebijen.nl]

6. Femur frontleg hindside yellow coloured until the end

7. Sternite 4 has a hair spot at the end

 


Literature

Peeters et al. 2006 Peeters, T. M. J., Raemakers, I. P., van de Nieuwegiessen, J., & Kuper, J. T., 2006. De rotsbehangersbij Megachile pilidens, nieuw voor de Nederlandse fauna (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen, 25, 11-18.

Peeters et al. 2012 Peeters, T.M.J., H. Nieuwenhuijsen, J. Smit, F. van der Meer, I.P. Raemakers, W.R.B. Heitmans, C. van Achterberg, M. Kwak, A.J. Loonstra, J. de Rond, M. Roos & M. Reemer, 2012. De Nederlands bijen (Hymennoptera: Apidae s.l.). - Natuur van Nederland 11, Naturalis Biodiversity Center & European Invertebrate Survey - Nederland, Leiden.

Soortenregister Nederlands Soortenregister

Waarneming.nl Waarneming.nl

Wildebijen.nl wildebijen.nl, "De Nederlandse bijen en hun relaties, overzicht van in Nederland en Vlaanderen voorkomende solitaire en sociale bijen (Apidea s.l.)"

Citation

Krischan, O.R., 2025. Megachile leachella. Kerfdier, www.kerfdier.nl. Accessed on [date month year].



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