Parasitisation of leaf-cutter bees (Megachilidae: Apoidea) by Melittobia species

Abstract

Megachilid bees play an important role in pollination of many domesticated and wild plant species. During our attempts to trap nest these bees in southern India, we observed a heavy parasitisation by a species of Melittobia (belonging to Melittobia hawaiiensis species group) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Out of 173 megachilid cells collected from 29 nests belonging to four species, 148 cells were parasitized by Melittobia sp., with an average of 85.55 % parasitisation and not a single bee emerged from 55.17% of the nests. This is the first record of Melittobia hawaiiensis species group parasitizing Megachile spp. in India.