Megachile pascoensis Mitchell, 1934
Properties
Scientific Name: Megachile pascoensis Mitchell, 1934
Common Name: Pasco Leafcutter Bee
Taxonomy
Megachile (Xeromegachile) bakeri Mitchell, 1934: 316 [♂]. Preoccupied, not Megachile bakeri Cockerell, 1918. Synonymy by Mitchell (1936: 162).
Holotype ♂. USA, California, Claremont, by Baker, from collection of E.G. Titus [USNM no. 44245].
Megachile (Xeromegachile) pascoensis Mitchell, 1934: 320 [♂].
Holotype ♂. USA, Washington, Pasco, 25 May 1896 [USNM no. 39982].
Megachile (Megachiloides) gabrielensis Mitchell, 1934: 346 [♀]. Synonymy by Mitchell (1938: 173).
Holotype ♀. USA, California, Los Angeles County, San Gabriel, June [no year provided], by C.E. Hutchinson [USNM no. 39987].
Taxonomic notes: Mitchell (1937: 159) indicated that his Megachilegabrielensis Mitchell, 1934 may be the ♀ of M. gravita Mitchell, 1934, though he later made the association with M. pascoensis Mitchell, 1934 (Mitchell 1938: 173). He also indicated that P.H. Timberlake thought that M. astata Mitchell, 1934 was the ♀ of M. pascoensis (Mitchell 1937: 159), but it was later associated with M. gravita (Mitchell 1938: 173).
DNA Barcode Index Number (BIN): BOLD:AAE1428
Distribution in Canada: Sheffield pers. obs. [BC].
Body length: ♀ 11 mm ♂ 9 - 11 mm
Forewing length: ♀ 7.5 mm ♂ 6.5 - 7.5 mm
References
Mitchell TB (1934) A revision of the genus Megachile in the Nearctic region. Part I. Classification and descriptions of new species (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 59(4): 295-361.https://www.jstor.org/stable/25077304
Mitchell TB (1936) A revision of the genus Megachile in the Nearctic region. Part IV. Taxonomy of the subgenera Xanthosarus, Phaenosarus, Megachiloides and Derotropis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 62(2): 117-166.https://www.jstor.org/stable/2507737
Mitchell TB (1938) Notes on the megachilid subgenera Xeromegachile and Derotropis (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 14(4): 168-177.
Sociality: Solitary
Nesting: Ground
Pollen Specialization: Polylectic
Wintering Stage: Mature Larva
Crop Preference: Not Available
Non Crop Preference: Not Available
Distribution: British Columbia
Ecozone: Western Interior Basin