Genus: Megachile Latreille, 1802
Subgenus: Pseudocentron Mitchell, 1934
Common name: none
Megachile (Pseudocentron) have primarily black integument and often have gray, tan, white, reddish, or black hair (Durante et al. 2014). They range in body length from 8–16 mm (Michener 2007). Megachile (Pseudocentron) is the largest subgenus of Megachile in Central and South America (Michener 2007; Gonzalez 2008; Torretta et al. 2012).
Megachile (Pseudocentron) may be confused with bees in the subgenera Megachile (Acentron) and Megachile (Leptorachis) because the posterior half of S6 is bare except for a row of short, subapical hairs (Gonzalez 2008). Megachile (Pseudocentron) can be differentiated from the other two subgenera by the male’s mandible with basal inferior projection, large front spines on the coxa, and expanded front legs (Gonzalez 2008). Megachile (Pseudocentron) can also be differentiated from Megachile (Leptorachis) by the large, incomplete cutting edge in the second interspace of the female mandible (Michener 2007).
Megachile (Peudocentron) may also be confused with Megachile (Argyropile) because of the dorsally bent apical rim on S6. However, Megachile (Pseudocentron) usually has a thinner and more translucent apical rim (Gonzalez 2008).
The following plant families have been identified as floral resources for Megachile (Pseudocentron) through flower-visiting observations and pollen analysis of nest provisions: Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Arecaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Combretaceae, Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Goodeniaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Onagraceae, Passifloraceae, Phyllanthaceae, Pontederiaceae, Rubiaceae, Solanaceae, Surianaceae, Tiliaceae, and Verbenaceae (Deyrup et al. 2002; Albuquerque et al. 2007; Landry et al. 2014; Marinho et al. 2018).
Megachile (Pseudocentron) are cavity-nesters which have been recorded nesting in trap nests, under rocks, and under asphalt debris along roads (Torretta et al. 2012; Landry et al. 2014). These bees build nests using leaflets and cut leaf pieces, which they often cut into specific rectangular to oblong shapes (Marinho et al. 2018).
There are no known invasives.
Megachile (Pseudocentron) are native to North and South America. They occur from the southern U.S. (southern California to North Carolina) south through South America to Chile and Argentina.