Megachile zombae

Megachile zombae is a species of bee in the Megachilidae family. Natively endemic to Malawi and identified in 1977, these are solitary bees. The name derives from Greek mega (μεγας) 'large' + cheil- (χειλ) 'lip' (referring to the mouthparts of the bee) and a district Zomba, in Malawi.[2]

Megachile zombae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Megachilidae
Genus: Megachile
Species:
M. zombae
Binomial name
Megachile zombae
Schulten, 1977[1]

Leafcutter bees
Main article: Megachilidae

Solitary bees, such as leafcutters, do not form colonies. Unlike social insects (ants, yellow jackets, honeybees), leafcutters work alone building isolated nests.[3] Similar to honeybees, female bees perform nearly all essential tasks of brood rearing. These insects perform essential tasks, pollinating wild plants. The alfalfa leaf cutter bee (Megachile rotundata), native to Europe, has been semi-domesticated for crop pollination. In North America, the species was deliberately imported to assist in the pollination of food crops, but has now become feral and widespread.[4]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Megachile is a cosmopolitan group of solitary bees, often called leafcutter bees. While other genera within the family Megachilidae may chew leaves or petals into fragments to build their nests. Certain species within Megachile neatly cut pieces of leaves or petals, hence their common name. The genus Megachile is one of the largest genera of bees, with over 1500 species.[5]

Morphology and identification

Highly detailed physical descriptions of M. campanulae campanulae and M. campanulae wilmingtoni were published in Theodore B. Mitchell's seminal work Bees of the Eastern United States.[6] However, M. zombae was not described, having been discovered several years later.

Pollination

They have been documented to pollinate the following flowers:

See also

References
  1. "Megachile zombae Schulten, 1977". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  2. Megachilidae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from Malawi (Central Africa). The genera Creightonella, Megachile (s. str.) and Chalicodoma. Beaufortia, 26(331) 1977: 43-76,illust.. [Zoological Record Volume 114]
  3. Cranshaw, W.S. "Leafcutter Bees". Colorado State University Extension. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  4. Milius, Susan (January 6, 2007). "Most Bees Live Alone: No hives, no honey, but maybe help for crops". Science News. 171 (1): 11–3. doi:10.1002/scin.2007.5591710110.
  5. Wedmann, S., et al. (2009). Direct and indirect fossil records of megachilid bees from the Paleogene of Central Europe (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).
  6. Mitchell, Theodore B (1962). The Bees of the Eastern United States (PDF). Technical bulletin (North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station). Retrieved 29 September 2014.
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