Megachile rotundata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
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 |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee sighting in Toronto on a given day, based on 68 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 289th most-seen of the 1689 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee in Toronto on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.
4th of 9
Of the 9 cities where we can rate Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee sightings, Toronto ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Santiago (Chile, about 10%), Montreal (Canada, under 5%) and Boston (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Toronto (68 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.
