D I S C O V E R    L I F E   
Bee Hunt! Odonata Lepidoptera 
  HomeAll Living ThingsIDnature guidesGlobal mapperAlbumsLabelsSearch
  AboutNewsEventsResearchEducationProjectsStudy sitesHelp


Megachile montivaga Cresson, 1878
Cyphopyga montivaga (Cresson, 1878); Megachile (Sayapis) helianthi Cockerell, 1908

Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Megachilidae   Megachile
Subgenus: Megachile

Megachile montivaga FEM mm - f
© Copyright Laurence Packer 2014 · 7
Megachile montivaga FEM mm - f

Click on map for details about points.

Links
80x5 - 240x3 - 240x4 - 320x1 - 320x2 - 320x3 - 640x1 - 640x2
Set display option above.
Click on images to enlarge.
Megachile montivaga MALE mm - f
© Copyright Laurence Packer 2014 · 7
Megachile montivaga MALE mm - f
Megachile montivaga MALE Small
© Copyright Laurence Packer 2014 · 7
Megachile montivaga MALE Small

Megachile montivaga, Diane Wilson
Diane Wilson · 5
Megachile montivaga, Diane Wilson
Megachile montivaga, f, smooth curve t6
© Copyright source/photographer · 5
Megachile montivaga, f, smooth curve t6

Megachile montivaga
Hartmut Wisch · 1
Megachile montivaga
Megachile montivaga
Hartmut Wisch · 1
Megachile montivaga

Megachile montivaga, Barcode of Life Data Systems
Barcode of Life Data Systems · 1
Megachile montivaga, Barcode of Life Data Systems
Megachile montivaga, female, face
© USDA Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Logan Utah · 1
Megachile montivaga, female, face

Megachile montivaga, female, mandibles
© NC Agriculture State Experiment Station Technical Bulletin Number 152, T. B. Mitchell, 1962 · 1
Megachile montivaga, female, mandibles
Overview
Reprinted with permission from: Mitchell, T.B. 1962 Bees of the Eastern United States. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin No. 152.


FEMALE—Length 11-13 mm.; entirely black, including tegulae and legs, spurs testaceous; eyes very slightly convergent below; clypeus slightly convex, apical margin nearly straight, mandibles 4-dentate, but margin between 3rd and 4th teeth slightly angulate (fig. 40); lateral ocelli very slightly nearer eyes than to margin of vertex; cheeks sub- equal to eyes in width; punctures of vertex quite deep and distinct, close, not very coarse, becoming somewhat more shallow and close on cheeks, finer and more densely crowded below ocelli and along inner margins of eyes, but supraclypeal area and clypeus with shining spaces medially, punctures becoming quite deep, distinct and close laterally; pubescence of head and thorax entirely pale, rather copious but short around antennae, on inner orbits, cheeks below, and thorax laterally and posteriorly; vertex, scutum and scutellum with very short, sparse and inconspicuous pubescence, but apparently entirely pale; punctures of scutum quite close, deep, distinct, not very coarse, slightly separated in center of disc; punctures of scutellum finer than on scutum, slightly separated medially, becoming crowded laterally, very fine and densely crowded on axillae; punctures of pleura distinctly butnot widely separated below, rather deep and distinct, becoming somewhat finer and very close above; propodeum relatively smooth and somewhat shining; basitarsi of all legs somewhat narrower and shorter than their tibiae; tegulae very finely and rather closely punctate, becoming impunctate along outer margins; wings lightly infuscated, veins piceous; abdominal terga 2-4 quite deeply grooved across base, basal margins of grooves somewhat carinate, tergum 5 with a similar, very shallow groove which is nearly obliterated medially; apical margins depressed only toward sides on terga 2 and 3, quite deeply depressed across entire width of 4 and 5, quite densely white fasciate, the fasciae more or less interrupted on the more basal terga; discs of terga somewhat shining, finely and rather sparsely punctate medially, becoming somewhat closer only at extreme sides, but punctures basad of grooves, somewhat closer and deeper, although finer; discal pubescence very short, fine and inconspicuous, entirely pale, but that on tergum 1 relatively elongate and thin; tergum 6 distinctly concave in profile, with no erect hairs visible, surface very finely and closely punctate, punctures becoming in- evident apically, surface very finely white tomentose toward apex, with scattered, more or less erect, pale hairs in addition; sternum 6 with scattered scopal hairs toward base, but quite bare over apical half, with an apical fringe of very short, pale hairs; scopa otherwise pale yollow, sterna closely, deeply and finely punctate on the more basal segments, becoming somewhat more sparse and coarse apically, apical margins very narrowly yellowish-hyaline, but not fasciate.

MALE—Length 9-11 mm.; black, tegulae more or less testaceous, legs somewhat reddened, spurs yellow; eyes slightly convergent below; clypeal margin nearly straight; mandible, with a sharply acute, sub-basal, inferior process; apical segment of flagellum narrow and elongate; lateral ocelli slightly nearer eyes than to margin of vertex; cheeks slightly broader than eyes; punctures of vertex rather fine, deep and distinct, close medially, but somewhat more widely separated laterally, those on cheeks uniformly close and fine, somewhat coarser and slightly separated just below anterior ocellus, otherwise very fine and densely crowded over most of face, slightly separated only in center of clypeus and along its upper margin; pubescence entirely pale on head and thorax, white and quite dense around antennae and over lower half of face, on cheeks below, becoming rather short above, and dense and white on thorax laterally and posteriorly, becoming rather short and fine on on vertex and dorsum of thorax, with a few shorter, inconspicuous, darker hairs evident on vertex; scutum dull, punctures quite shallow, not very coarse, slightly separated medially, becoming closer anteriorly and posteriorly, uniformly close and fine on scutellum, and very fine and crowded on axillae; pleura dull, punctures fine and uniformly crowded; propodeum somewhat smoother, shining; basitarsi much shorter and narrower than their respective tibiae, mid tibial spurs rather short but well developed, front coxal spines represented by acute, dentiform tubercles; tegulae minutely and rather closely punctate; wings subbyaline, veins brownish-piceous; terga 2-4 with complete, transverse, basal grooves, basal margin of these rather distinctly carinate, apical margins of the terga rather deeply depressed laterally but not medially, depressed areas densely white fasciate; tergum 1 with rather long, erect, entirely whitish pubescence, that on 2 very short and inconspicuous but evident, discal pubescence on 3 and 4 largely lacking but 5 with sparse, erect and rather elongate, pale hairs; tergum 1 very closely and finely punctate, punctures becoming successively more distinct and somewhat more coarse on the more apical terga, well separated but not sparse on 5, 6 dull, punctures fine and densely crowded except across the narrow base, rather strongly protuberant medially, carina with a shallow, median emargination and slightly, irregularly crenulate on each side, median teeth of apical margin carinate, much nearer the acute, slender, lateral teeth than to each other; tergum 7 clearly evident, short, transverse, quite deeply concave just back of margin; sterna 1-4 exposed, punctures quite close and rather fine, apical margins of 2-4 abruptly and quite deeply depressed, clear hyaline, rather conspicuously fringed with elongate, whitish hairs; setose area of sternum 5 broad and extensive, setae elongate (fig. 41) sternum 6 with an extensive area of long, robust, recurved setae on each side of mid-line, apical lobe transverse, slightly produced medially; gonocoxites slender, conspicuously protuberant at base, constricted medially, rounded apically (fig. 42).

DISTRIBUTION—California to Nova Scotia, south to Mexico, Illinois and North Carolina, June to September.

FLOWER RECORDS—Argemone, Campanula, Carduus, Centaurea, Cirsium, Coreopsis, Geranium, Gutierrezia, Helianthus, Lactuca, Meclicago, Opuntia, Rosa, Verbena and Vernonia. Robertson (1929) lists the following additional genera: Asciepias, Blephilia, Brauneria, Dianthera, Monarda, Oeno thera, Parthenium, Pentstemon, Budbeekia, Scrophularia, Silphium, and Verbesina.

Identification
Extracted from: Sheffield C. S., et al (2011). Leaf cutter and Mason Bees of the Genus Megachile Latreille (Hymenoptera; Megachilidae) in Canada and Alaska. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 18

Megachile (Megachile) montivaga Cresson, 1878

Megachile montivaga Cresson, 1878. Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 7: 124 (♀, ♂).

Megachile helianthi Cockerell, 1908a. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) 1: 259 (♀).

Diagnosis. The female of M. montivaga can be recognized by the combination of 5-dentate mandibles without cutting edges (often appearring 4-dentate), T6 distinctly concave in profile with few erect hairs visible except laterally, and an entirely pale scopa. They are most similar to M. ericetorum. The female of M. ericetorum has distinct 4-dentate mandibles, and the apical edge of clypeus with a small median tubercle. The male of M. montivaga can be recognized by the combination of simple and dark front tarsi, front coxal spine represented by an acute, dentiform tubercle, 3-dentate mandibles with the teeth equally spaced, clypeus without a prominent median tubercle on apical margin, and T6 being rather strongly protuberant medially. They are most similar to M. inermis. The males M. inermis have 3-dentate mandibles with the 2nd tooth much nearer the apical tooth than the 3rd tooth.

FEMALE: Length 11-13 mm.

Head. 1) compound eyes very slightly convergent below; lateral ocelli slightly nearer eyes than margin of vertex (7:9), 2) clypeus slightly convex, apical margin nearly straight and impunctate medially, 3) mandibles obscurely 5-dentate, the 4th tooth a slight angulation between 3rd and 5th teeth, with no cutting edges (Plate 1, Figure M17), 4) gena subequal to compound eye in width, 5) punctures of vertex deep and distinct, close, though more separated laterally, becoming somewhat more shallow and close on gena, finer and more densely crowded on frons and paraocular area, supraclypeal area and clypeus with a shining, medial impunctate band, punctures becoming quite deep, distinct and close laterally, 6) pubescence of head mostly pale, rather copious but short around antennae, paraocular area, and gena below; vertex with long sparse pale hairs along posterior margin, with dark hairs in ocellar triangle and below median ocellus extending onto vertex laterally, 7) F1 longer than broad (2:1.5), slightly longer than pedicel and F2, which is quadrate, remaining flagellomeres subquadrate to very slightly longer than broad, apical flagellomere more elongate (5:3).

Mesosoma. 1) pubescence almost entirely pale, rather copious but not obscuring the surface, short laterally and posteriorly; mesoscutum and scutellum with sparse pubescence, mostly pale, with an intermixture of dark pubescence anteriorly on mesoscutum, 2) punctures of mesoscutum quite close, deep, distinct, slightly separated in centre of disc; punctures of scutellum finer than on mesoscutum, slightly separated medially, becoming crowded laterally, very fine and densely crowded on axilla; punctures of pleura distinctly but not widely separated below, rather deep and distinct, becoming somewhat finer and very close above; propodeum relatively smooth and somewhat shining with well spaced shallow punctures, triangle impunctate, somewhat shiny, 3) basitarsi of all legs somewhat narrower and shorter than their tibiae, spurs yellowish-brown, 4) tegula very finely and rather closely punctate, becoming impunctate along outer margins, 5) wings lightly infuscated, veins black.

Metasoma. 1) T2-T4 quite deeply grooved across base, basal margins of grooves somewhat carinate, T5 with a similar, very shallow groove that is poorly defined medially; apical margins depressed only toward sides on T2 and T3, quite deeply depressed across entire width of T4 and T5, quite densely white fasciate, the fasciae more or less interrupted on the more basal terga; discs of terga somewhat shining, finely and rather sparsely punctate medially, becoming somewhat closer only at extreme sides, but punctures basal to grooves somewhat closer and deeper, although finer; discal pubescence relatively elongate, sparse and entirely pale on T1, very short, fine and erect on remaining terga, black apically on T3, entirely so on T4 and T5; T6 distinctly concave in profile, with few erect hairs visible except laterally, surface very finely and closely punctate, punctures becoming inevident apically, surface very finely white tomentose toward apex, 2) S6 with scattered scopal hairs toward base, but quite bare over apical half, with an apical fringe of very short, pale hairs; scopa otherwise pale yellow; sterna closely, deeply and finely punctate on the more basal segments, becoming somewhat more sparse and coarse apically, apical margins very narrowly yellowish-hyaline.

MALE: Length 9-11 mm.

Head. 1) compound eyes slightly convergent below; lateral ocelli slightly nearer margin of vertex than eyes (5:6), 2) clypeal margin nearly straight, a few crenulations medially, 3) mandible 3-dentate, lower process sharply acute, subbasal in position, 4) gena slightly broader than compound eye (8:7), 5) punctures of vertex rather fine, deep and distinct, close medially, but somewhat more widely separated laterally, those on gena uniformly close and fine, somewhat coarser and slightly separated on frons just below median ocellus, otherwise very fine and densely crowded over most of face, slightly separated only in centre of clypeus and along its upper margin, very fine and dense apically, 6) pubescence entirely pale on head, pale yellow to white and quite dense around antennae and over lower half of face, on gena below, becoming rather short above, becoming rather short and sparse on vertex, with a few shorter, inconspicuous, darker hairs evident on vertex and upper inner margin of compound eyes, 7) F1 about as long as broad, longer than pedicel, shorter than remaining flagellomeres, which are slightly longer than broad (2.5:2), apical flagellomere elongate, about twice as long as broad.

Mesosoma. 1) pubescence entirely pale, rather short and sparse dorsally, dense and white laterally and posteriorly, 2) mesoscutum dull, punctures quite shallow, not very coarse, slightly separated medially, becoming closer anteriorly and posteriorly, uniformly close and fine on scutellum, and very fine and crowded on axilla; pleura dull, punctures fine and uniformly crowded; propodeum somewhat smoother, shining, with fine, well-spaced punctures, triangle dull and impunctate, 3) front coxal spine represented by an acute, dentiform tubercle, legs somewhat reddened, basitarsi much shorter and narrower than their respective tibiae, mid tibial spur rather short but well developed, spurs yellow, 4) tegula yellowish-brown, minutely and rather closely punctate, 5) wings subhyaline, veins brownish-black.

Metasoma. 1) T2-T4 with complete, transverse, basal grooves, basal margin of these rather distinctly carinate, apical margins rather deeply depressed laterally but not medially, depressed areas white fasciate; T1 with rather long, erect, entirely whitish pubescence, that on T2 very short but evident, discal pubescence on T3-T5 mostly sparse, short and erect black hair, T5 with sparse, erect and rather elongate, pale hairs in addition to dark hairs; T1 very closely and finely punctate, punctures becoming successively more distinct and somewhat more coarse on the more apical terga, well separated but not sparse on T5, T6 dull, punctures fine and densely crowded except across the narrow base, rather strongly protuberant medially, carina with a shallow, median emargination and slightly, irregularly crenulate on each side, median teeth of apical margin carinate, much nearer the acute, slender, lateral teeth than to each other; T7 clearly evident, short, transverse, quite deeply concave just basal to margin, 2) S1-S4 exposed, punctures quite close and rather fine, apical margins of S2-S4 abruptly and quite deeply depressed, clear hyaline, rather conspicuously fringed with elongate, whitish hairs except medially on S4.

Genitalia. Plate 2, Figure G17.

Discussion. Unlike other members of the subgenus Megachile in North America, females of M. montivaga collect flower petals instead of leaves for nest cell construction. Although reported to accept trap-nests (Baker et al. 1985), this seems to be an uncommon event (e.g., Ivanochko 1979; Sheffield et al. 2008) and the bee may preferentially nest in soil (Table 1). Uncommon compared to most members of the subgenus Megachile. The synonymy of M helianthi (from Colorado) with M. montivaga is recent (Scott et al. in press, via pers. comm. with John Ascher, American Museum of Natural History).

Distribution: Found throughout southern Canada, from NS-BC (see Map 17).


Names
Scientific source:

Supported by

Hosts · map
FamilyScientific name @ source (records)
Apocynaceae  Asclepias @ AMNH_BEE (1)
Asteraceae  Aplopappus sp @ BBSL (1)

Aster canescens @ BBSL (1)

Aster sp @ BBSL__KWC (2)

Aster @ AMNH_BEE (1)

Bebbia sp @ BBSL (1)

Carduus pycnocephalus @ BBSL (1)

Centaurea @ AMNH_BEE (1)

Chrysothamnus @ AMNH_BEE (1)

Cirsium californicum @ BBSL__KWC (6)

Cirsium neomexicanum @ BBSL (1); UCRC_ENT (2)

Cirsium occidentale @ UCRC_ENT (3)

Cirsium sp @ BBSL__KWC (2); BBSL (2)

Cirsium undulatum @ BBSL (2)

Cirsium vulgare @ BBSL (1); AMNH_BEE (1)

Cirsium @ AMNH_BEE (1); UCRC_ENT (2)

Coreopsis lanceolata @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Dugaldia hoopesii @ DART_ENT (1)

Encelia sp @ BBSL (1)

Erigeron flagellaris @ DART_ENT (1)

Erigeron sp @ BBSL (2)

Eschscholzia californica @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Gaillardia aristata @ BBSL (1)

Gaillardia @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Grindelia hirsutula @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Grindelia sp @ BBSL (1)

Grindelia squarrosa @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Grindelia @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Helenium bigelovii @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Helianthus annuus @ BBSL (4); AMNH_BEE (1); UCRC_ENT (6)

Helianthus anomalus @ BBSL (1)

Helianthus gracilentus @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Helianthus sp @ BBSL__KWC (1)

Helianthus @ AMNH_BEE (2)

Heterotheca villosa @ UCRC_ENT (3)

Hulsea sp @ BBSL__KWC (1)

Hymenoxys hoopesii @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Isocoma menziesii @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Malacothrix californica @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Senecio flaccidus @ UCRC_ENT (3)

Senecio @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Silybum marianum @ BBSL (1)

Solidago @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Stephanomeria virgata @ AMNH_BEE (1)

Symphyotrichum spathulatum @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Verbesina sp @ BBSL (1)

Wyethia scabra @ BBSL (1)
Brassicaceae  Stanleya pinnata @ BBSL (1)
Cactaceae  Opuntia sp @ BBSL (1)
Fabaceae  Acmispon glaber @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Baptisia tinctoria @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Cracca virginiana @ UCRC_ENT (3)

Lotus corniculatus @ BBSL__KWC (1)

Melilotus alba @ BBSL (1)

Tephrosia virginiana @ AMNH_BEE (1)
Geraniaceae  Geranium sp @ BBSL (1)
Iridaceae  Iris hartwegii @ UCRC_ENT (1)
Lamiaceae  Marrubium vulgare @ UCRC_ENT (2)

Monarda pectinata @ UCRC_ENT (4)

Monardella @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Salvia mellifera @ UCRC_ENT (1)
Liliaceae  Lilium wigginsii @ BBSL (1)
Malvaceae  Iliamna sp @ BBSL (3)

Sidalcea @ UCRC_ENT (1)
Onagraceae  Camissonia lacustris @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Clarkia amoena @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Clarkia biloba @ AMNH_BEE (1)

Clarkia cylindrica @ BBSL__BERK (1)

Clarkia dudleyana @ BBSL__KWC (3)

Clarkia purpurea @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Clarkia sp @ BBSL__KWC (3)

Epilobium angustifolium @ RMBL_ENT (1)
Papaveraceae  Argemone intermedia @ UCRC_ENT (3)

Argemone platyceras @ UCRC_ENT (1)

Argemone sp @ BBSL (1)

Argemone @ AMNH_BEE (3); UCRC_ENT (2)
Polemoniaceae  Gilia @ AMNH_BEE (2)

Polemonium foliosissimum @ DART_ENT (1)

Polemonium @ UCRC_ENT (1)
Polygonaceae  Eriogonum nudum @ BBSL__KWC (1)
Rosaceae  Fallugia sp @ BBSL (1)

Horkelia sp @ BBSL__KWC (2)

Prunus virginiana @ BBSL (1)

Rosa sp @ BBSL (2)
_  Fabaceae sp @ BBSL (1)

Withheld @ BBSL__YOSE (38); BBSL (57); BBSL__ZION (23); BBSL__PINN (1); BBSL__CAVE (7)

go to Discover Life's Facebook group

Updated: 2024-03-19 03:54:24 gmt
Discover Life | Top
© Designed by The Polistes Corporation