About Megachile willughbiella (Kirby, 1802)
Megachile willughbiella (Kirby, 1802) is a species of leafcutter bee. It is most often found in gardens and brownfield areas, particularly within cities. It builds its nests in either soil or wood, and constructs the nest cells out of cut leaves. This species is targeted by kleptoparasites that belong to Coelioxys, the genus of leafcutting cuckoo bees; documented kleptoparasites include Coelioxys quadridentata, Coelioxys rufescens, and Coelioxys elongata. The bee collects pollen from a broad range of flowering plant groups, including Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Onagraceae. It shows a distinct preference for pollen from plants in the Campanulaceae (bellflower) family. This species is widely distributed across western Europe, ranging between Finland, Lithuania, and Spain, and includes populations in Britain and Ireland. In Britain, it is one of the most frequently recorded leafcutter bee species. It is absent from the north Midlands, and from mid-Wales and north Wales, but is present from Cornwall all the way to Inverness, growing scarcer as latitude increases.
