Megachile (Eutricharaea) apicalis Spinola 1808

Gibbs, Jason, Ascher, John S., Rightmyer, Molly G. & Isaacs, Rufus, 2017, The bees of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), with notes on distribution, taxonomy, pollination, and natural history, Zootaxa 4352 (1), pp. 1-160 : 107

Megachile (Eutricharaea) apicalis Spinola 1808 (New state record)

( Fig. 19A)

County records: Ingham.

Notes. A single female specimen was collected adjacent to a railway line in 2013. After repeated attempts to recollect the species at the same locality, an additional female and male were found in 2014. Megachile apicalis prefers Centaurea ( Asteraceae ) ( Müller & Bansac 2004), which was abundant at the collection site. The female of the species is similar to the alfalfa leafcutter bee, M. rotundata , but can be distinguished by the apical projection of the clypeus and the darker scopal hairs on S 4 in addition to S5 ( Parker 1978; Sheffield et al. 2011b). Megachile rotundata is commonly observed in the same area. A continuing expansion of its range is likely, similar to that seen in other cavity nesting megachilid bees ( Gibbs & Sheffield 2009; Hinojosa-Díaz 2008). In other US localities, this species can be very abundant and aggressively competes for nesting sites ( Barthell & Thorp 1995; Stephen 2003; Thorp 1996). Further range extensions of this species might be facilitated by the spread of the invasive plant Centaurea stoebe L. (Spotted Knapweed) ( Richardson et al. 2000).

Material examined. Ingham Co.: Michigan State University, south campus, N42.721 W84.473, 9 Jun. 2013 (1 ♀ MSUC) ; Michigan State University, south campus, N42.721 W84.473, 23 Aug. 2014 (1 ♀ 1 ♂ JBWM) .