About Megachile maritima (Kirby, 1802)
Megachile maritima is a very large, robust leaf-cutter bee. Adult body length reaches approximately 9–10.5 mm (0.35–0.41 inches), and wing length measures approximately 10 mm (0.39 inches). The head and thorax are generally black, with thick fine punctures and a relatively hairy covering. Mandibles are very large, with four terminal teeth. Antennae have a filiform shape. The oblong-quadrate abdomen is covered in reddish hairs on fresh individuals; older specimens have abdomens that turn silvery black. Wings are transparent, with darkening at the apex. Hind tibiae and tarsi are strongly swollen. Males have whitish, strongly expanded front tarsi, with bushy hair on the front feet. This species is present across most of Europe, including Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, European Russia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland. It is also found in the East Palaearctic realm and the Oriental realm. These leaf-cutter bees occur in lowland heaths and chalk grassland, but they primarily live along coasts, matching the meaning of their species name. Their main coastal habitats are coastal dunes with light, sandy soil, and soft-rock cliffs.
