# Bellflower Resin Bee (*Megachile campanulae*) The Bellflower Resin Bee is a small, fuzzy bee that loves to collect resin from plants. They are great pollinators and help flowers grow by spreading pollen as they visit them. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Bellflower Resin Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Megachile_campanulae.jpg&width=800) Photo: USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Megachile_campanulae.jpg) ## Appearance The Bellflower Resin Bee is a dark-bodied bee with distinct pale yellow to whitish hair bands on its abdomen. It has a bright reddish-orange "pollen brush" (scopa) on the underside of its belly and robust mandibles for manipulating sticky resin. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Megachilidae - **Genus:** Megachile ## Interesting facts - Bellflower Resin Bees often sleep inside bellflowers, using them as tiny sleeping bags! - Each female bee builds her own cozy nest, all by herself! - They carry pollen on their belly hairs, not on their legs like honeybees! - They seal their nests with sticky tree sap, like nature's super glue! ## Special abilities - **Resin Architect:** Bellflower Resin Bees can collect and sculpt sticky tree resin because it helps them build strong, waterproof nest cells. - **Belly Basket:** Bellflower Resin Bees have stiff hairs on their belly that helps them carry huge loads of pollen back to their nests. - **Flower Specialist:** Bellflower Resin Bees can efficiently gather nectar and pollen from bellflowers because they are perfectly adapted to them. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 15-25 mm - **Size:** 9-13 mm - **Lifespan:** 20-40 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 1 ## Diet & Feeding Nectar fuels their flight, while pollen feeds their growing young! - **Primary Foods:** Nectar (Bellflowers), Pollen (Bellflowers), Nectar (other flowers), Pollen (other flowers) - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Harebell](https://www.snappit.app/explore/harebell) (*Campanula rotundifolia*) — Primary pollinator for its specialized host flower. - **Eaten by:** European Garden Spider (*Araneus diadematus*) — Spiders often ambush foraging bees near flowers. - **Parasitizes:** Bellflower Cuckoo Bee (*Coelioxys coturnix*) — Lays eggs in its nests, stealing food for its own young. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a bee, watch it from a distance and don't touch it. They are usually busy working! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bellflower Resin Bee? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Bellflower Resin Bee's wingspan? 15-25 mm ### How big is Bellflower Resin Bee? 9-13 mm ### How long does Bellflower Resin Bee live? 20-40 days ### How fast can Bellflower Resin Bee fly? 15 km/h ### What does Bellflower Resin Bee eat? Nectar fuels their flight, while pollen feeds their growing young! ### Where is Bellflower Resin Bee usually found? Grasslands ### How does Bellflower Resin Bee hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Bellflower Resin Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bellflower-resin-bee)