Chelostoma phaceliae Michener, 1938
Properties
Scientific Name: Chelostoma phaceliae Michener, 1938
Common Name: Phaceliae Scissor Bee
Taxonomy
Chelostoma phaceliae Michener, 1938: 38 [♂, ♀].
Holotype ♂. USA, California, Altadena, 11 May 1935, by C.D. Michener, on Phacelia tanacetifolia [CAS no. 4491].
DNA Barcode Index Number (BIN): BOLD:AAM2920
Biology: The nesting biology of this species was studied by Parker and Bohart (1966) abd Parker (1988) who indicated that it used trap-stems, particularly used abandoned burrows that other insects (Ceratina and Ectemnius) bored into the stems of elderberry (Sambucus). Nest partitions and the entrance plug are made with small grains of sand stuck together with salivary secretions (Parker 1988). Parker (1988) also provided images of larvae. Moldenke and Neff (1974), and Sedivy et al. (2008) indicated that this species was narrowly oligolectic on Phacelia pollen.
References
Moldenke A, Neff J (1974) The bees of California: a catalogue with species relevance to pollination and ecological research. Tech. Rep. 74-3 (Part III of 3). 288 pp. Board of Studies in Biology, UC, Santa Cruz Campus, CA 95064.
Parker FD (1988) Nesting biology of two North American species of Chelostoma (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 64(1): 1-7.
Sedivy C, Praz CJ, Müller A, Widmer A, Dorn S (2008) Patterns of host-plant choice in bees of the genus Chelostoma: the constraint hypothesis of host-range evolution in bees. Evolution 62(10): 2487-2507. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00465.x
Michener CD (1938) American bees of the genus Chelostoma. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 14(1): 36-45.
Parker FD, Bohart RM (1966) Host-parasite associations in some twig-nesting Hymenoptera from western North America. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 42(2): 91-98.
Sociality: Solitary
Nesting: Cavity Renter
Pollen Specialization: Narrow Oligolecty
Wintering Stage: Mature Larva
Crop Preference: Not Available
Non Crop Preference: Erigeron sp., Lotus sp., Phacelia sp., Phacelia ramosissima
Distribution: British Columbia
Ecozone: Western Interior Basin