megachilidadj.n.
/ˌmɛɡəˈkʌɪlɪd/, U.S. /ˌmɛɡəˈkaɪlᵻd/ Entomology.
A. adj.
Designating, relating to, or belonging to the hymenopteran insect family Megachilidae, which includes leaf-cutting bees and mason bees, typically having long tongues and long hairs on the underside of the abdomen for the collection of pollen. Cf. Megachile n.
ΚΠ
1912 Science 20 Sept. 378/1 A recent entomological portion of ‘Das Tierreich’ is by Dr. H. Friese on the megachilid bees of the world.
1924 Science 13 June 536/1 The following papers were presented:..New megachilid bees: T. B. Mitchell.
1951 Jrnl. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 24 46 (title) Observations on the nesting habits of megachilid bees.
1979 Ecology 60 597 There were strong tendencies for prairie species to be visited more by apid and megachilid bees and by lepidopterans.
1988 Ecology 69 1747/2 Species that secrete resin attract female euglossine bees.., female megachilid bees (Hypanthidium, Heriades), or worker stingless bees.
B. n.
A bee of this family.
ΚΠ
1934 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. at Megachile Megachilid n.
1952 Ecology 33 561/1 Immature bees of many species are very susceptible to attack by molds and to desiccation... Others, such as the megachilids, are more resistant and require less care in rearing.
1973 Jrnl. Animal Ecol. 42 179 The megachilid Chalicodoma lanata (Fabr.) has been found commonly in Sceliphron cells along the north Jamaica coast.
1993 Phyton 33 134 The northern plot..was usually visited by 3–4 Xylocopa violacea, few bumblebees and a sporadic megachilid.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1912