David Element
Wildlife Photography and Digital
Video Images
__________________________________________________________
Hymenoptera 69 – Willughby’s Leaf-cutter Bees
WILLUGHBY’S
LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile willughbiella (f)
WILLUGHBY’S LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile
willughbiella (f)
WILLUGHBY’S LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile
willughbiella (f)
WILLUGHBY’S LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile
willughbiella (f)
WILLUGHBY’S LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile
willughbiella (f)
WILLUGHBY’S LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile
willughbiella (f)
WILLUGHBY’S LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile
willughbiella (m, f)
WILLUGHBY’S LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile
willughbiella (m)
WILLUGHBY’S
LEAF-CUTTER BEE Megachile willughbiella (m)
·
Willughby’s Leaf-cutter Bee Megachile
willughbiella is one of several similar
species that may be difficult to separate in the field. However, taking clear photographs
from different angles will enable at least some of these bees to be identified,
provided that the characteristics differentiating them may be seen clearly
enough to be able to compare the images with good quality reference material.
The furry front legs of the males, only really evident in the final photograph
(taken in North Wales), are presumably designed for wafting pheromones as they
have a relatively massive surface area. The bright orange pollen brushes on the
underside of the abdomens of females are the most obvious identifier (the
colour, length and distribution of the hairs are important), but once they have
been coated with pollen then this colour will be difficult to see. The
photographs illustrate females with varying pollen-loads feeding on Broad-leaved
Everlasting Pea Lathyrus latifolius and note
that pollen from different flowers may vary in colour. These photographs were
taken in Surrey. Worn bees are often tricky to separate.
-> Hymenoptera
1, 2, 3,
4, 5,
6, 7,
8, 9,
10, 11,
12, 13,
14, 15,
16, 17,
18, 19,
20, 21,
22, 23,
24, 25,
26, 27,
28, 29,
30, 31,
32, 33,
34, 35,
36, 37,
38, 39,
40, 41,
42, 43,
44, 45,
46, 47,
48, 49,
50,
51,
52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100
-> Species
Index, Common Names
-> Species
Index, Scientific Names
-> Site Index
-> Home