About the Amegilla cingulata
Amegilla cingulata is a species of blue-banded bee native to Australia. Currently, several scientific organizations are conducting research on how A. cingulata benefits agriculture through its distinctive "buzz pollination".
A. cingulata was first described by Danish entomologist Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. Its specific epithet cingulata is from the Latin word cingulum ("belt") referring to the bee's bands. The genus Amegilla contains over 250 additional species, but several are virtually indistinguishable from A. cingulata, so they are commonly confused with it.
A. cingulata has a very striking appearance similar to several other species of Amegilla. Unlike honey bees, it has pale opalescent blue stripes on its abdomen. The male can be distinguished by the number of complete bands, having five as opposed to the females' four. In size, A. cingulata can grow to 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in).
A. cingulata is found along the coast and inland in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as South Australia and Western Australia; reports of this species from places such as Papua New... Wikipedia →