Megachile sculpturalis: Giant Resin Bee

I always get excited every time I take a walk in the valley around the Lhok Gajah reservoir. Yes, that valley is a paradise for fascinating insect habitats. In addition to the many weeds that grow on the side of the path, there are also meadows where every evening you will see various kinds of insect pollinators on grass.

This is the giant resin bee (Megachile sculpturalis ) I found there a few days ago.

They do not live in colonies, but almost every afternoon a small group—three or five—of these bees is found in the grass or dry twigs.

Giant resin bees are about the same size as bumblebees but not as agile as them.

They seemed to have marked his favorite perch. They will fly for a moment if something threatens, but before long they will return to that place again. So, you just need to be patiently waiting for it there without moving much.

Similar to the behavior of leafcutter bees, giant resin bees have a habit of nipping at the twigs they land on.