Blue banded bee

Amegilla cingulata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Apidae
Genus:	Amegilla
Species:	A. cingulata
Binomial name
Amegilla cingulata (Fabricius, 1775)

Amegilla cingulata, commonly known as the blue-banded bee, is an Australian native bee that occurs in many other regions. Currently, several scientific organizations are conducting research on how the blue-banded bee benefits agriculture through its distinctive "buzz pollination". These bees are very important for the production of food and contribute to at least 30% of crops in Australia.

A. cingulata was first described by Danish entomologist Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. Its specific epithet cingulata is from the Latin word cingulum ("belt") referring to the bee's bands. The genus Amegilla contains over 250 additional species, but several are virtually indistinguishable from A. cingulata, so are commonly confused with it.

A. cingulata has a very striking appearance, similar to several other species of Amegilla. Unlike honey bees, it has pale opalescent blue stripes on its abdomen. The male can be distinguished by the number of complete bands, having five as opposed to the females' four. In size, A. cingulata can grow to 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in).

A. cingulata is native to Australia, but is also reported from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor, Malaysia, and India, but the latter records may refer to misidentified specimens of similar species such as A. zonata. It appears to live in tropical and subtropical regions. The bees inhabit urban areas, woodlands, forests, and heath areas.

Blue-banded bees can sting, but are not as aggressive as other bees. They appear to be more rapid in movement than other bees. The males cling to plant stems during the night. They are solitary creatures, with single females inhabiting burrows in the soil or soft stone, unlike social species such as honey bees, which live in large colonies.

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Wikipedia