Photo: Gideon Pisanty (Gidip) / CC BY 3.0

Megachile parietina

Black Mud Bee

A robust black leafcutter bee (11–13 mm) with dark smoky wings and dense velvety black hair. Unlike most Megachile species, it builds exposed mud nests on sunny stone walls and rocks, mixing sand and saliva into a hard mortar-like material. Females are entirely jet-black; males have brownish-grey hair. It is polylectic with a preference for legumes and aromatic herbs like lavender. In Switzerland it occurs in warm lowland areas on south-facing stone walls and rocky outcrops. Swiss Red List: Vulnerable (VU).