Nests, Petal Usage, Floral Preferences, and Immatures of Osmia (Ozbekosmia) avosetta (Megachilidae: Megachilinae: Osmiini), Including Biological Comparisons with Other Osmiine Bees

Herein we describe the nests (including construction, closure, orientation, and depth of cells) of the bee Osmia (Ozbekosmia) avosetta Warncke found nesting near Antalya, Turkey, and Sepidan, Iran. Cells are unusual in that they are lined by two layers of colorful flower petals that sandwich a thin middle layer of mud. Analyses of pollen taken from scopal hairs of specimens from the Turkish site were identified as solely from Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. (Fabaceae) whereas those from the Iranian site were from a related plant, Hedysarum elymaiticum Boiss. and Hausskn. These facts coupled with analyses of scopal pollen from 11 other sites in Turkey, Jordan, and Syria strongly suggest that this bee is oligolectic with respect to the plant tribe Hedysareae. 1 Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 ([email protected]). 2 Atatürk University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey (hozbek@ atauni.edu.tr). 3 Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 ([email protected]). 4 ETH Zurich, Applied Entomology, Schmelzbergstrasse 9/LFO, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland (claudio.sedivy@ ipw.agrl.ethz.ch). 5 Cornell University, Department of Entomology, 3119 Comstock Hall, Ithaca NY 14853 ([email protected]). 6 Yasouj University, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj, Iran (alirezamonfared1@yahoo. com). 7 ETH Zurich, Applied Entomology, Schmelzbergstrasse 9/LFO, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland (andreas.mueller@ ipw.agrl.ethz.ch). 1