Giant Resin Bee Megachile sculpturalis Smith, 1853Non-native    Synonyms: Sculptured Resin Bee.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Hymenoptera   >   Family Megachilidae   >   Genus Megachile   

Status:

Originates in eastern Asia, where it feeds its babies pollen from leguminous plants, particularly woody ones such as Kudzu. It has been introduced into North America and has now spread as far west as Colorado. It will likely expand all the way to the West Coast. It is large enough to apparently usurp active Carpenter Bee holes and thus will make for interesting conflicts as it becomes established." (S. Droege, 7/21/2014)

Relationships:

Gathers pollen from leguminous plants, with particular fondness for Kudzu.

There are 184 records in the project database.

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A Giant Resin Bee in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/9/2018). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/8/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/3/2021). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/17/2014). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (7/6/2018). Photo by Barbara Speckart. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Howard Co., Maryland (8/31/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Prince George's Co., Maryland (8/3/2019). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Talbot Co., Maryland (7/5/2014). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Calvert Co., Maryland (6/24/2018). Photo by Karyn Molines. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/3/2019). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A female Giant Resin Bee in Baltimore City, Maryland (6/29/2009). Confirmed by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/3/2020). (c) Even Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Even Dankowicz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/30/2017). (c) Hans Holbrook, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Hans Holbrook. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/13/2021). (c) maragay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by maragay via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (7/25/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tom Feild. (MBP list)

A male Giant Resin Bee in Baltimore City, Maryland (6/27/2009). Confirmed by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/16/2014). Photo by Max Wilson. (MBP list)

A male Giant Resin Bee in Baltimore City, Maryland (6/27/2009). Confirmed by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/18/2020). (c) syosua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by syosua via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Charles Co., Maryland (7/17/2023). (c) Scot Magnotta, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Scot Magnotta via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Kent Co., Maryland (6/20/2015). Photo by Rick Borchelt. (MBP list)(More of this species)

A Giant Resin Bee in Washington Co., Maryland (6/24/2018). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Garrett Co., Maryland (7/27/2019). (c) dansmall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Dan Small. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/25/2014). (c) 116916927065934112165, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA). Photo by Matt Muir via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Washington Co., Maryland (6/27/2020). (c) anthonyayers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by anthonyayers via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Kent Co., Maryland (7/27/2020). (c) pcowartrickmanphoto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Pamela Cowart-Rickman. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/16/2019). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/20/2019). (c) Kayleigh Parsons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Kayleigh Parsons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Carroll Co., Maryland (7/25/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tom Feild. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/20/2014). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Calvert Co., Maryland (6/24/2018). Photo by Karyn Molines. (MBP list)

A female Giant Resin Bee in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/12/2012). Photo by Heagan Ahmed and processed by Dejen Mengis. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Kent Co., Maryland (7/21/2014). Photo by Sam Droege. (MBP list)

A female Giant Resin Bee in Kent Co., Maryland (7/21/2014). Photo by Sam Droege. (MBP list)

A female Giant Resin Bee in Kent Co., Maryland (7/21/2014). Photo by Sam Droege. (MBP list)

A Giant Resin Bee in Harford Co., Maryland (8/6/2017). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Giant Resin Bee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/22/2019). (c) Serenella Linares, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND). Photo by Serenella Linares via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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