Arhysosage bifasciata, (FRIESE)

Rozen, Jerome G. & Jr., 2013, Mature Larvae of Calliopsine Bees: Spinoliella, Callonychium, and Arhysosage Including Biological Notes, and a Larval Key to Calliopsine Genera (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae: Panurginae), American Museum Novitates 2013 (3782), pp. 1-28 : 23

BIOLOGY OF ARHYSOSAGE BIFASCIATA (FRIESE)

After the above observations of Arhysosage flava were made, a small group of nests of A. bifasciata (Friese) were excavated at El Desmonte, Catamarca Province, Argentina, on November 23, 1989, and on the following day (see table 1 for statistics). Several nest openings occurred under or at the edges of surface rocks; others were in the open. All nests (total of 6) were currently under construction and had diagonally descending, meandering, open main tunnels. No nest had more than two cells, but since no larvae were found, all nests were presumably undergoing development. Cells were horizontal or nearly so, and provisions were spherical and coated when complete. Two incomplete, roughly spherical provisions were much smaller (e.g., 2.9 mm in diameter) and uncoated. Perhaps the most significant difference between A. flava and A. bifasciata was a difference in cell shape. Instead of being somewhat rounded as in A. flava (fig. 44), the posterior end of the cell of A. bifasciata was more drawn out and therefore narrowly rounded (fig. 47). Since no larvae were yet present, it can not be determined whether larval feces are placed in this elongation, although this is a likely assumption.