Megachile fortis

Cresson, 1872

Megachile fortis is a of solitary in the , described by Cresson in 1872. As a member of the Megachile, it shares the characteristic trait of females carrying pollen on scopal hairs beneath the rather than on the hind legs. The species is known from North America, though specific details about its biology remain limited in published sources.

Megachile fortis by no rights reserved, uploaded by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab. Used under a CC0 license.Megachile fortis by no rights reserved, uploaded by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab. Used under a CC0 license.Megachile fortis var. vestali by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Megachile fortis: //ˌmɛɡəˈkaɪli ˈfɔrtɪs//

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Distribution

North America. GBIF distribution records indicate presence in North America, though specific range details beyond this continental-level occurrence are not well documented in available sources.

Similar Taxa

  • Megachile plutoBoth belong to Megachile and share the characteristic of large body size relative to other Megachile , though M. pluto is dramatically larger (approximately four times the size of a ) and is to Indonesia rather than North America. M. pluto nests in active mounds lined with resin, while the nesting biology of M. fortis is unknown.
  • Megachile sculpturalisBoth are large-bodied Megachile , but M. sculpturalis is an Asian species established in eastern North America that specifically colonizes abandoned galleries in wooden structures. M. fortis is a North species with no documented association with human-modified .
  • Megachile fidelisBoth are North Megachile , but M. fidelis has been documented cutting leaf pieces for nest construction and foraging on specific plants including sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) and Clarkia. No such specific behavioral or foraging data is available for M. fortis.

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