Megachile ligniseca

Habitat: Open habitats, woodland

Size: 15-18mm

Species account: The largest of the UK Megachile species this is a widespread if somewhat uncommon species. Females have tricoloured scopae, shading from pale golden to red and then black at the tip, and feed at a range of flowers, including knapweeds and thistles. Males lack the expanded fore basitarsi of the other large species, and so (by the standards of the genus) are easily distinguished.

Similar species: Megachile maritima is another large species with tricoloured scopae, but has erect black hairs on tergite 6 (adpressed in ligniseca). Ligniseca also has noticeably thinner hair bands on the hind edges of the tergites 2-5, and a steep angle between the 5th and 6th tergites.

Female