Megachile laticeps Smith

CockerellL, T. D. A., 1942, Bees of Guam, Insects of Guam I, Honolulu, Hawaii: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, pp. 188-190 : 188

2. Megachile laticeps Smith ,

Cat. Hymenopt. British Mus. 1: 183, 1853.

Ritidian Pt., April 16, Bryan ; Agana, Aug. 13, Rowley ; Barrigada, June, Swezey ; Piti , May 12 , July 7 , 24 , Sept. 16-20, Swezey, from trellised flowers of Antigonon leptopus , numerous males and females .

The female is M. nietallescens Cockerell, which has been said to be identical with M. robbii Ashmead, though I did not think so when revising the Philippine Megachile . I now think that M. mcgregori Cockerell, based on the male, cannot be separated from M. laticeps . In the Philippine Journal of Science (16: 147, 1920), I wrote of M. 11icgregori: "This may be the male of Megachile 1netallescens , which occurs in the same two localities. The abdomen is not at all metallic; but otherwise, aside from the usual sexual differences, the insects are very much alike." This species has undoubtedly been introduced into Guam from the Philippine Islands.

"This bee is widely distributed in Guam, but most of the specimens were collected at Piti. Evidence of its leafcutting activities was conspicuous throughout the island. Young kapok trees were often nearly completely defoliated by this bee, which cuts the circular and oblong bits of the leaves for the lining of nests. Rose bushes, too, were often nearly defoliated similarly."-O. H. Swezey.