Giant resin bee

Description

Megachile sculpturalis, known as the giant resin bee and sculptured resin bee, is a species of leafcutting bees belonging to the family Megachilidae. Native to Japan and China, it has been introduced to the Eastern United States and Ontario, Canada in recent times,.First established in the United States during the early 1990s, records currently exist from most states east of the Mississippi River. It was also recently introduced to Europe in 2009. Megachile sculpturalis can reach a body length of about 19–22 mm (0.75–0.87 in) in males, while females usually are larger than males, reaching about 21–25 mm (0.83–0.98 in). It is much bigger than most other leafcutting bees. The body is cylindrical, jaws are large and wings are transparent, with a brown color that darkens toward the tips. Head and abdomen are mainly black, the abdomen is rather shiny and without hairs, while thorax is covered with dense yellowish-brown pubescence. In males the abdomen is truncated and squared, while in the females it is almost tapered, and pointed. The female has four dentate mandibles. In the United States, these resin bees occur in nests of Xylocopa spp, often around wooden structures such as doors, decks and porches.