Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Family: Megachilidae
- Genus: Megachile
- Species: Megachile dolichotricha
- Authority: (Cockerell, 1915)
Description
Megachile dolichotricha is a species of leafcutter bee in the family Megachilidae. As a member of the genus Megachile, it is presumed to be a solitary bee that constructs nests using cut leaf fragments or other plant material. Specific morphological characteristics distinguishing this species from congeners are not extensively documented in widely accessible encyclopedic sources.
Distribution
Insufficient Encyclopedic Information. Published records of the geographic range of M. dolichotricha are limited; the available literature does not provide a comprehensive distribution map.
Biology and Ecology
General traits of the genus Megachile include:
- Nesting behavior: Females typically build individual brood cells in pre‑existing cavities (e.g., in wood, hollow stems, or soil) and line them with cut pieces of leaves or petals.
- Foraging: Megachile species are important pollinators and collect pollen on specialized hairs (scopa) located on the ventral surface of the abdomen.
Specific information on the nesting preferences, floral hosts, phenology, and reproductive biology of M. dolichotricha is not available in current encyclopedic references.
Conservation Status
Insufficient Encyclopedic Information. There are no assessments of the conservation status of M. dolichotricha in major databases such as the IUCN Red List.
References
- Cockerell, T. D. A. (1915). Descriptions of new species of bees. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 49(2099), 349‑356.
- Michener, C. D. (2007). The Bees of the World (2nd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
Note: The above entry compiles verified taxonomic data and general genus‑level characteristics. Detailed species‑specific information remains limited in publicly available encyclopedic literature.