Megachile (Megachile) centuncularis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Polylectic, females collecting pollen from numerous plant families (Raw, 1988). Raw considers that the wide floral range of this bee is probably an important factor influencing the species’ success in inhabiting suburban environments. In Germany, it visits species in the families Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Hypericaceae (Westrich, 1989).

Flowers visited in UK (Else & Edwards, 2018): Aquilegia (Ranunculaceae); Nymphaea, Brassica (Brassicaceae); Viola (Violaceae); Helianthemum (Cistaceae); Dianthus (Caryophyllaceae); Tilia (Tiliaceae); Malva (Malvaceae); Linum (Linaceae); Geranium pratense (Geraniaceae); Acer (Aceraceae); Lotus, Vicia sylvatica (Fabaceae); Rubus (Rosaceae); Sedum (Crassulaceae); Bryonia dioica (Cucurbitaceae); Polemonium caeruleum (Polemoniaceae); Antirrhinum, Linaria (Scrophulariaceae); Campanula (Campanulaceae); Senecio, Doronicum, Calendula, Pulicaria dysenterica, Cirsium vulgare, C. palustre, Centaurea (Asteraceae); Lilium (Liliaceae) and Iris (Iridaceae).

Mavromoustakis (1953, 1954) reports foraging of M. centuncularis nesiotica at Pulicaria dysenterica, Dittrichia (=Inula) crithmoides (Asteraceae); Heliotropium europaeum (Boraginaceae); Alhagi maurorum and at cultivated Medicago (Fabaceae) in Cyprus.

Banaszak & Romasenko (1989), copied by Stanisavljević (2000), list the following forage sources: Medicago, Coronilla, Astragalus, Cytisus, Lathyrus, Lotus, Trifolium (Fabaceae); Carduus, Leontodon, Cichorium, Hieracium, Crepis, Helichrysum, Picris, Inula, Cirsium, Onorpordon (Asteraceae).

Ivanov et al (2005) state that the species is oligolectic but prefers Fabaceae and Asteraceae.

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