Megachile aurifrons
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Megachile aurifrons, commonly known as the red-eyed resin bee or golden-browed resin bee, is a species of solitary bee in the family Megachilidae. It was first described in 1853 by Frederick Smith, and it can be found throughout mainland Australia. Females are approximately 12 millimetres in length, with bright red eyes and orange facial hair. Males are approximately 10 millimetres in length, with bicoloured eyes, mostly white facial hair and modified front legs. Nests are constructed in various natural and man-made cavities. This species has been recorded visiting flowers from a wide range of plant families.
Megachile aurifrons was first described by British entomologist Frederick Smith in 1853. The specific name (aurifrons) means “golden brow” in Latin. The holotype was a female. The male was first described in 1910 by American entomologist Theodore D. A. Cockerell, who named it Megachile oculipes. That specimen was collected in Townsville, Queensland. After the two specific names were eventually synonymised, the species was placed in the genus Chalicodoma. Professor Charles Michener returned it to the Megachile genus in his magnum opus – The Bees of the World, which... Wikipedia →
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More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red-Eyed Resin Bee sighting in Perth on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 188th most-seen of the 275 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, October and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red-Eyed Resin Bee in Perth on a given day, against under 5% in January, March–September and November, the lowest months. Those are among Perth's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain a month against 130 mm in July.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Red-Eyed Resin Bee sightings, Perth has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Brisbane (Australia, under 5%).
Same genus: Megachile
The closest relatives of the Red-Eyed Resin Bee that you can see in Perth (genus Megachile, Leafcutter, Mortar, and Resin Bees) are Megachile chrysopyga (about 10%) and Megachile erythropyga (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red-Eyed Resin Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Perth (8 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
