Amegilla

Amegilla is a large genus of bees in the tribe Anthophorini. It has been split into many subgenera, including Asaropoda, Micramegilla, Notomegilla and Zonamegilla.^[1]

Amegilla
Amegilla cingulata
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Apidae
Tribe:	Anthophorini
Genus:	Amegilla Friese, 1897
Species
See text.
Diversity
c. 260 species

Amegilla quadrifasciata

Amegilla calceifera

Description

Amegilla are generally medium-sized to very large bees, about 10-12mm of robust form.^[2] The body and legs are hairy, and the tongue and proboscis are long.^[2] All Amegilla species burrow to make nests^[2] and they are commonly referred to as "digger bees". Several species have blue metallic bands on the abdomen and are referred to as "blue-banded bees" Bands may differ with the sex, with males having more bands than females.^[3]

Range and habitat

The genus occurs all around the world, but very few live above 45° North.^[4] Amegilla are associated with arid and subarid biomes, matorrals, steppes, sub-deserts and deserts.^[5] They also commonly occur in farmlands, especially those that border their preferred habitats.^[3]

They are very fast, agile flyers, and because of this, some taxa are close to impossible to catch. This in combination with the fact that some species are known from only a few specimens means that their abundance and distribution is believed to be underestimated.^[4][5]

Ecology and behavior

Several Amegilla species, specifically Amegilla nigritar and Amegilla zonata, pollinate the orchid species Phalaenopsis pulcherrima.^[6][7] Females are adept at buzz-pollination, and some species have proven or potential value as pollinators of greenhouse tomatoes.^[8]

At a glance, they may be confused with honeybees. However, they do not produce harvestable honey or live in colonies. Amegilla bees also carry their pollen between hairs on the hind legs, whereas in honeybees the hind leg has a smooth, spoon-shaped area where pollen is collected.^[3]

Selected species

• Amegilla albiceps (Rayment, 1951)
• Amegilla asserta (Cockerell, 1926)
• Amegilla bombiformis (Smith, 1854)
• Amegilla calceifera (Cockerell, 1911)
• Amegilla calens (Lepeletier, 1841)
• Amegilla canifrons (Smith, 1854)
• Amegilla chlorocyanea (Cockerell, 1914)
• Amegilla cingulata (Fabricius, 1775)
• Amegilla cingulifera (Cockerell, 1910)
• Amegilla comberi (Cockerell, 1911)
• Amegilla confusa (Smith, 1854)
• Amegilla dawsoni (Rayment, 1951)
• Amegilla fallax (Smith, 1879)
• Amegilla mucorea (Klug, 1845)
• Amegilla niveocincta (Smith, 1854)
• Amegilla puttalama (Strand, 1913)
• Amegilla quadrifasciata (Devillers, 1789)
• Amegilla subcoerulea (Lepeletier, 1841)
• Amegilla subinsularis (Strand, 1910)
• Amegilla violacea (Lepeletier, 1841)
• Amegilla zonata (Linnaeus, 1758)

See also

• Josephine Cardale, an Amegilla researcher
• List of Amegilla species