Megachile rotundata
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Megachile rotundata, the alfalfa leafcutting bee, is a European bee that has been introduced to various regions around the world. As a solitary bee species, it does not build colonies or store honey, but is a very efficient pollinator of alfalfa, carrots, other vegetables, and some fruits. Because of this, farmers often use M. rotundata as a pollination aid by distributing M. rotundata prepupae around their crops. Each female constructs and provisions her own nest, which is built in old trees or log tunnels. Being a leafcutter bee, these nests are lined with cut leaves. These bees feed on pollen and nectar and display sexual dimorphism. This species has been known to bite and sting, but it poses no overall danger unless it is threatened or harmed, and its sting has been described as half as painful as a honey bee's.
Megachile rotundata is a member of the subfamily Megachilinae, which includes more than 4,000 bee species; this currently makes this family the second-largest among all bee families. This subfamily is one of four other subfamilies of Megachilidae, the other three being the Fideliinae, Pararhophitinae, and Lithurginae. Phylogenetic studies suggest... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santiago | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 2 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee sighting in Santiago on a given day, based on 32 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 36th most-seen of the 173 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November to January
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee in Santiago on a given day, against under 5% in February and April–September, the lowest months. Those are among Santiago's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 65 mm in June.
Yes
Of the 9 cities where we can rate Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee sightings, Santiago has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Montreal (Canada, under 5%) and Boston (United States, under 5%).
Same genus: Megachile
The closest relatives of the Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee that you can see in Santiago (genus Megachile, Leafcutter, Mortar, and Resin Bees) are Megachile saulcyi (about 10%), Megachile euzona (about 10%) and Megachile pollinosa (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Santiago (32 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.
