Megachile pluto

Megachile pluto, also known as Wallace's giant bee or the giant mason bee, is a species of bee belonging to the genus Megachile, one of the largest known bees in the world. First discovered by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858 during his expedition to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, this species had not been seen in the wild for over a century until it was rediscovered in 1981. Since then, sightings have been extremely rare, leading to concerns about its conservation status.

Description

Megachile pluto is remarkable for its size, with females measuring up to 39 millimeters in length, and possessing a wingspan of approximately 63 millimeters. The males are significantly smaller than the females. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females having large mandibles that are used for resin collection, a material used in nest construction. The bee's coloration is predominantly black, with the females featuring two large, compound eyes that are more pronounced than those of the males.

Habitat and Distribution

The natural habitat of Megachile pluto is primarily in the primary lowland forests of the North Moluccas in Indonesia. Its distribution is highly localized, contributing to its rarity and the difficulty in studying the species in its natural environment. The bee is known to nest in active termite nests, utilizing the resin to partition and protect its nesting chambers from the termites.

Behavior

Megachile pluto is a solitary bee, with females constructing and provisioning their nests independently. The bee's nesting behavior is unique among bees due to its use of termite nests as a nesting site, which provides protection against predators and a stable microclimate for the development of its offspring. The female uses her large mandibles to collect resin from trees, which is then used to construct the nest chambers within the termite nest.

Conservation Status

The conservation status of Megachile pluto is of concern due to its rarity and the specific nature of its habitat. Deforestation and habitat loss in the Indonesian islands pose significant threats to the species' survival. Conservation efforts are hindered by the lack of comprehensive data on the bee's distribution and population size, making it difficult to implement effective conservation strategies.

See Also

• Alfred Russel Wallace
• Bee
• Conservation status
• Deforestation
• Habitat loss
• Maluku Islands
• Sexual dimorphism