Carder-bees
Guides
Megachilinae
mason bees, leafcutter bees, carder bees
Megachilinae is the largest subfamily of bees within the family Megachilidae, comprising mason bees, leafcutter bees, and carder bees. These bees are characterized by their unique nesting behaviors: leafcutters use circular pieces of leaves or petals to line brood cells, masons construct nests from mud or plant resins, and carders collect plant fibers. Unlike most bees, females carry pollen on specialized scopal hairs located on the underside of the abdomen rather than on the hind legs. The subfamily includes numerous genera distributed globally, with species exhibiting diverse habitat preferences from deserts to tropical forests.
Pseudoanthidium
Small Carder Bees, African Carder Bee (for P. repetitum)
Pseudoanthidium is a genus of small carder bees in the family Megachilidae, first described by Friese in 1898. The genus occurs across Eurasia, Africa, and Australia, with nine species recorded in Europe. Some species are cavity-nesters that utilize plant fibers and foreign materials for nest construction. The introduced African carder bee (P. repetitum) has established populations in eastern and Western Australia since 2000 and shows potential for continued range expansion.