Megachile chichimeca
This record describes Megachile chichimeca (species). Recorded family: Megachilidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
According to references below, some hallmark traits of Megachile chichimeca are: it is small and slender; there are prominent tufts of white hairs located near the base of the bee’s wings; the back edge of the bee’s thorax is fringed with white hairs; the bee's wings are dusky near the back edges; females have a bump on the middle of the edge of the clypeus; males have three teeth on each jaw, with a wide middle tooth that is pointed on either side, so that it looks a little like two teeth; and the scopal hairs on the females' abdomens are white toward the front and rust-colored toward the back.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Trigonaloidea
- Family
- Megachilidae (Leafcutter, Mason, and Resin Bees, and allies)
- Subfamily
- Megachilinae
- Tribe
- Megachilini
- Genus
- Megachile (Leafcutter and Resin Bees)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
s. TX to Panama - Map (Discover Life)
Diet and Behavior
Life History
male and female observed feeding together in s. TX on woolly croton ( Croton capitatus , Euphorbiaceae) (BG data)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Megachile (Neomegachile) chichimeca Cresson, 1878
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Megachile chichimeca. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Megachile chichimeca (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Mike Quinn; Additional contributions by John S. Ascher , PaleoJon
Frequently Asked Questions About Megachile chichimeca
What is Megachile chichimeca?
Megachile chichimeca is a species in the family Megachilidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How do you identify Megachile chichimeca?
According to references below, some hallmark traits of Megachile chichimeca are: it is small and slender; there are prominent tufts of white hairs located near the base of the bee’s wings; the back edge of the bee’s thorax is fringed with white hairs; the bee's wings are dusky near the back edges; females have a bump on the middle of the edge of the clypeus; males have three teeth on each jaw, with a wide middle tooth that is pointed on either side, so that it looks a little like two teeth; and the scopal hairs on the females' abdomens are white toward the front and rust-colored toward the back.
Where is Megachile chichimeca found?
Range: s. TX to Panama - Map (Discover Life)
What is the life cycle of a Megachile chichimeca?
male and female observed feeding together in s. TX on woolly croton ( Croton capitatus , Euphorbiaceae) (BG data)