Amegilla walkeri

Tilcayo Cats original · Amegilla · Sources and editorial assessment · Originals retention rule

Amegilla walkeri is a blue-banded bee found in tropical parts of the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. A mixture of black and white hairs gives its upper thorax a grey appearance.

Identification

Both sexes have conspicuous pale blue metallic bands across the abdomen. Females have a broad border of white hair near the abdominal tip. The grey thoracic hair helps distinguish the bee from the closely related A. thorogoodi, whose thoracic hair is brown. The 2017 revision describes the two as occupying separate geographical ranges.

Name and seasonal records

Cockerell described A. walkeri in 1905 from a female labelled from Baudin Island, Western Australia. He later named Anthophora darwini from a male from Port Darwin. Re-examination of the types in the 2017 revision supported the earlier conclusion that these were the same species.

The revision contains collection records from every month. These show that adults have been found throughout the year somewhere within the sampled range; they do not demonstrate uninterrupted activity at any single site.