Anthidium is a genus of bees often called mason or potter bees, who use conifer resin, plant hairs, mud, or a mix of them to build nests. They are in the family Megachilidae which is cosmopolitan in distribution and made up of species that are mostly solitary bees with pollen-carrying scopae that are only located on the ventral surface of the abdomen. Other bee families have the pollen-carrying structures on the hind legs. Typically species of Anthidium feed on pollen and nectar from plants, though some species are robber bees that take food from other bees. Anthidium florentinum bees are distinguished from most its relatives by yellow of brick-red thoraxic bands. They fly all summer and make the nests in holes in the ground, walls or trees, with hairs plucked from plants.

References

Chinery, Michael - Insects of Britain and Western Europe. Domino Guides, A & C Black, London, 1986

External links

• Anthidium Identification Guide
• List of Species
• Worldwide Species Map