Photo: Arnstein Staverløkk / Norsk institutt for naturforskning / CC BY 3.0
Megachile alpicola
Alpine Leafcutter Bee
A very small leafcutter bee (7–10 mm), one of the smallest Megachile species. Females have a black body with white abdominal hair bands and carry pollen on the underside scopa. It nests in pre-existing beetle tunnels in dead wood and hollow plant stems, lining brood cells with cut pieces of leaves. It is a generalist forager visiting Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae. In Switzerland it occurs up to 2600 m in the Alps, nesting in sun-exposed dead wood at forest edges and in clearings. Swiss Red List: Least Concern (LC).
Species Facts
- Size
- 7–10 mm
- Flight Period
- May to August
- Nesting
- Cavities
- Specialization
- Generalist
- Abundance
- Uncommon
- Family
- Megachilidae
External Sources
This data has been cross-referenced with national sources:
Data Source & Copyright
| Category | Source / Author | License |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | Arnstein Staverløkk / Norsk institutt for naturforskning | CC BY 3.0 |
| Taxonomy & Distribution | InfoFauna Switzerland | Public data |
| Global Distribution | GBIF | CC BY 4.0 |
Data Quality
High Quality Last audit: 2026-05-22
Completeness: 100%
✓Photo exists✓Traits consistent✓Description quality✓Red List referenced✓Attribution verified
Confidence: 67%
IdentifiabilityMediumImage confidenceMediumImage qualityHighTrait coherenceHigh
