Megachile

Subgenus Megachiloides Mitchell, 5 species

    These were originally placed in the Xeromegachile. As the older genus name suggests, they are common in xeric areas. In Florida, they are most likely to be found in sandhills, scrub, and coastal dunes. Several species are oligolectic on particular species of plants. In comparison to the other subgenera of Megachile, they tend to be relatively restricted in season of flight, perhaps related to their relative specialization on certain flowers.

Key to females of Megachiloides

  1. Lateral ocelli much nearer eyes than to edge of vertex; pubescence of sixth tergum largely appressed, the erect hairs basal, short and inconspicuous..M. deflexa

  2. megdefvertex.GIF (424604 bytes)

    Lateral ocelli subequally distant from eyes and edge of vertex, or nearer the vertex; or pubescence of sixth tergum erect and conspicuous..2

    Meg integrla F vertscut
  3. Clypeal margin minutely denticulate or tuberculate..3

  4. Clypeal margin entire..4

    Meg integrla F mandclyp
  5. Punctures fine and close in center of mesonotum, minute and crowded on scutellum; scopa on fifth sternum with few if any black hairs..M. integra

  6. megintegrascutum.GIF (493206 bytes)
    megintegrasterna6.GIF (319335 bytes)

    Punctures more coarse in center of mesonotum, separated by more than their own width; punctures on scutellum fine and close, but distinct, not crowded except anteriorly; scopa on fifth sternum black along posterior margin..M. brimleyi

    megbriscutum.GIF (480431 bytes)
    megbriscutum.GIF (480431 bytes)
  7. Sixth tergum in profile with no erect or suberect hairs visible, the pubescence very short and closely appressed.. M. rubi

  8. Meg rubi F termlat

    Sixth tergum in profile with at least suberect hairs visible..M. integrella

    Meg integrla F termlat

Key to males of Megachilioides

  1. Front metatarsi simple, neither excavated nor dilated..2
  2. Front metatarsi more or less dilated, usually with colors other than black, and more or less excavated on the anterior margin..3.

  3. Front tarsi yellowish, contrasting with the black or piceous mid and hind tarsi..M. integrella
  4. Front tarsi not contrasting with the others, all black, piceous, or ferruginous..M. deflexa

  5. Front coxal spines broadly spatulate, almost triangular, robust..M. brimleyi

  6. megbricoxalspines.GIF (331591 bytes)

    Front coxal spines more slender and spine-like..4

    Meg rubi M headthorvent
  7. Seventh tergum broadly rounded or subtriangular..5

  8. Seventh tergum terminated by a quite definite spine-like median protuberance..M. rubi

    Meg rubi M termdor
  9. Front metatarsi broadly dilated, equaling their tibiae in width; carina of sixth tergum broadly rounded and entire..M. integra

  10. Meg integra M legsdor
    Meg integra M abddor

    Front metatarsi relatively slender, distinctly narrower than their tibiae; carina of sixth tergum broadly rounded, but the margin irregularly crenulate..M. brimleyi

    Note that M. brimleyi males come out twice in the key depending on the nature of their coxal spines.


Megachilidae: Megachile brimleyi Mitchell

County Records: Bay, Highlands, Levy

megbri.gif (17044 bytes)

Locations:

Dates: July - September

Plants: Oligolege of Galactia

Notes: SE coastal plain endemic (NC to Florida)

Female

Photos of female by HGH are of a specimen AMNH 252512 from North Carolina.

Dorsal Habitus
Mandibles Clypeus
Vertex Scutum Scutellum
Petiole
Terminal Segments - Dorsal View
Lateral Habitus
Gena Pleura
Terminal Segments - Lateral View
Ventral Habitus
Head Thorax - Ventral View
Sterna
Terminal Segments - Ventral View

Male

Photos of male by HGH are of a specimen AMNH 116320 from North Carolina.


Megachilidae: Megachile deflexa Cresson

County Records: Alachua; Clay, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Mitchell lists Duval Miami-Dade

megdef.gif (16885 bytes)

Locations: Coral Gables, Interlachen; Mitchell lists Jacksonville Beach

Dates: April - November

Plants: Rhus glabra; polylectic, many composites and legumes

Notes:

Female

Photos of female by HGH are of a specimen AMNH 130735 from Texas.

Dorsal Habitus
Mandibles Clypeus
Vertex Scutum Scutellum
Petiole
Terminal Segments - Dorsal View
Lateral Habitus
Gena Pleura
Terminal Segments - Lateral View
Head Thorax - Ventral View
Terminal Segments - Ventral View

Male

megdeftop.GIF (351889 bytes)
megdefface.GIF (318263 bytes)
megdeffront.GIF (423211 bytes)
megdefmand.GIF (276624 bytes)
megdefvertex.GIF (410150 bytes)
megdefcarterg6.GIF (327758 bytes)
megdefcarterg62.GIF (230067 bytes)
megdefter6carina.GIF (444961 bytes)
megdefter7.GIF (439880 bytes)
megdefside.GIF (272953 bytes)
megdefteethter7.GIF (467256 bytes)
megdefgenital.GIF (459440 bytes)


Megachilidae: Megachile integra Cresson

County Records: Alachua, Citrus, Clay, Escambia, Gilchrist, Highlands, Levy, Orange, Putnam

megintegra.gif (16904 bytes)

Locations: Austin Cary Memorial Forest, Goethe State Forest, Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, Orlando

Dates: May - Aug

Plants: Eriogonus tomentosus, Galactia sp, Glycine max, Phaseolus, many legumes and composites

Notes:

Female

Photos of female by HGH are of a specimen AMNH 129922 from Illinois.

Male

Meg integra M dorhab
Meg integra M faceantcoxobliq
Meg integra M face
Meg integra M mandclyp
Meg integra M vertscut
megintegravertex.GIF (392940 bytes)
Meg integra M petio
Meg integra M abddor
Meg integra M term
Meg integra M lathab
Meg integra M genapleur
Meg integra M abdlat
Meg integra M venthab
Meg integra M headvent
Meg integra M headthorvent
Meg integra M stern
Meg integra M legsdor
Meg integra M legsvent


Megachilidae: Megachile integrella Mitchell

County Records: Alachua, Clay, Nassau, Putnam; Mitchell lists Lee

megintegrella.gif (17569 bytes)

Locations: Austin Cary Memorial Forest, Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, Fort Myers

Dates: April - November

Plants: Chrysobalanus oblongifolus

Notes: SE coastal plain endemic (NC to Florida)

Female

Meg integrla F headon
Meg integrla F dorhab
Meg integrla F face
Meg integrla F mandclyp
Meg integrla F vertscut
Meg integrla F petio
Meg integrla F abddor
Meg integrla F term
Meg integrla F termdor
Meg integrla F lathab
Meg integrla F genapleur
Meg integrla F abdlat
Meg integrla F termlat
Meg integrla F venthab
Meg integrla F headthorvent
Meg integrla F stern
Meg integrla F termvent
Meg integrla F wings

Male

megintegrellatop.gif (404604 bytes)
Meg integrla M dorhab
Meg integrla M face
Meg integrla M mandclyp
megintegrellamandclose.gif (485525 bytes)
megintegrellamandside.gif (367092 bytes)
Meg integrla M vertscut
Meg integrla M abddor
Meg integrla M term
megintegrellatergum7.gif (442099 bytes)
megintegrellatergum72.gif (533391 bytes)
Meg integrla M termdor
Meg integrla M termdor
Meg integrla M lathab
megintegrellaside.gif (370922 bytes)
Meg integrla M headthorvent
Meg integrla M stern
megintegrellasternum.gif (479640 bytes)
Meg integrla M genarmdor
Meg integrla M genarmvent
megintegrellatarsi.gif (512800 bytes)
megintegrellatarsi3.gif (496299 bytes)


Megachilidae: Megachile rubi Mitchell

County Records: Alachua, Highlands, Liberty, Suwanee, (also caught in Lowndes County, Georgia)

megrub.gif (16347 bytes)

Locations: Gainesville, Island Grove, Kanapaha Prarie, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park

Dates: March - June

Plants: Coreopsis basalis, Helianthus annuus, Ilex cassine, Rubus sp.,

Notes: Nests in sandy loam soils; SE coastal plain endemic (NC to Florida)

Female

Meg rubi F dorhab
Meg rubi F face
Meg rubi F mandclyp
megrubivertex.GIF (362762 bytes)
Meg rubi F vertscut
Meg rubi F petio
Meg rubi F abddor
Meg rubi F term
Meg rubi F termdor
Meg rubi F lathab
Meg rubi F genapleur
Meg rubi F abdlat
Meg rubi F termlat
Meg rubi F venthab
Meg rubi F headvent
Meg rubi F headthorvent
Meg rubi F stern
Meg rubi F stern
Meg rubi F termvent
#Subgenus

Male

Meg rubi M dorhab
Meg rubi M face
megrubmandclose.GIF (492822 bytes)
megrubvertex.GIF (401988 bytes)
Meg rubi M vertscut
Meg rubi M abddor
Meg rubi M term
Meg rubi M termdor
Meg rubi M lathab
Meg rubi M genapleur
Meg rubi M abdlat
Meg rubi M venthab
Meg rubi M headvent
Meg rubi M headthorvent
Meg rubi M stern
Meg rubi M foreleg
Meg rubi M foremidlegs