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First Records Of Megachile Apicalis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) For Illinois Found In Heavily Urbanized Areas Within The City Of Chicago, Andrea M. Gruver, Paul J. Caradonna

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We provide the first record of the non-native Megachile apicalis Spinola (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Illinois. Thirty Megachile apicalis specimens were collected in the summer of 2018 in a highly urban area of Chicago, IL, USA. Our findings suggest that the range of Megachile apicalis appears to be rapidly expanding across North America, inward from both the East and Western Coasts. Megachile apicalis in Chicago has a broad activity period, can take advantage of abundant non-native floral food resources, and has competitive nesting behavior, all of which may facilitate its successful establishment in disturbed urban environments, as well as its continued …