Megachilidae is a cosmopolitan family of mostly solitary bees whose pollen-carrying structure is restricted to the ventral surface of the abdomen. Megachilid genera are most commonly known as mason bees and leafcutter bees, reflecting the materials from which they build their nest cells ; a few collect plant or animal hairs and fibers, and are called carder bees, while others use plant resins in nest construction and are correspondingly called resin bees. All species feed on nectar and pollen, but a few are kleptoparasites, feeding on pollen collected by other megachilid bees. Parasitic species do not possess scopae. The motion of Megachilidae in the reproductive structures of flowers is energetic and swimming-like; this agitation releases large amounts of pollen.
Megachile pluto, also known as Wallace's giant bee or raja ofu/rotu ofu, is a very large Indonesian resin bee. It is the largest known living bee species. It was believed to be extinct until several specimens were discovered in 1981. There were no further confirmed sightings until two were collected and sold on eBay in 2018. A live female was found and filmed for the first time in 2019.
Chalicodoma is a subgenus of the bee genus Megachile in the family Megachilidae.
Megachile sculpturalis, known as the giant resin bee and sculptured resin bee, has a size between 1⁄2 and 1 in. It is much bigger than most other leafcutting bees. Native to Japan and China, it has been introduced to the Eastern United States and Ontario, Canada in recent times, and recorded as invasive in Europe in 2009. It is mainly black with brownish yellow hairs. They are known to use cavities belonging to carpenter bees to make their nests.
Megachile campanulae, known as the bellflower resin bee, is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. Described in 1903, these solitary bees are endemic to eastern North America. Studies in 2013 placed them among the first insect species to use synthetic materials for making nests. They are considered mason bees, which is a common descriptor of bees in several families, including Megachilidae. Within the genus Megachile, frequently also referred to as leafcutter bees, M. campanulae is a member of the subgenus Chelostomoides, which do not construct nests from cut leaves, but rather from plant resins and other materials. Females lay eggs in nests constructed with individual cell compartments for each egg. Once hatched, the eggs progress through larval stages and subsequently will overwinter as pupae. The bees are susceptible to parasitism from several other bee species, which act as brood parasites. They are medium-sized bees and the female adults are typically larger than the males. They are important pollinators of numerous native plant species throughout their range.
Megachilinae is a subfamily of bees, the largest subfamily in the family Megachilidae, and includes mason bees, leafcutter bees, and carder bees.
Megachilini is a tribe of leaf-cutter and resin bees.
Megachile chelostomoides is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It was described by Gribodo in 1894.
Megachile gentilis is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It was described by Cresson in 1872.
Megachile illustris is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It was described by Mitchell in 1930.
Megachile policaris is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It was described by Say in 1831.
Megachile rubi is a species of leaf cutting bee in the family Megachilidae, found in the eastern United States. First described by Mitchell in 1924, it is placed in the subgenus Xeromegachile, members of which are most often found in sandy areas and have distinct preferences in the petals and leaves they use in their nests.
Megachile xylocopoides, the carpenter-mimic leafcutter bee, is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It was described by Smith in 1853, and named for its superficial similarity to the carpenter bee genus Xylocopa
Megachile mystaceana, the fire-tailed resin bee, is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It was described by Michener in 1962.
Megachile oenotherae is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It was described by Mitchell in 1924.
Megachile umatillensis is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. It was described by Mitchell in 1927.
Megachile pseudobrevis, the southeastern little leaf-cutter bee, is a species of hymenopteran in the family Megachilidae.
Callomegachile is a subgenus of the bee genus Megachile in the family Megachilidae.
