Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee
VU

Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee

Megachile maritima

UnknownDDEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megachile_maritima

Overview

Megachile maritima, common name coast leaf-cutter, is a species of leaf-cutter bees in the family Megachilidae. It was described by William Kirby in 1802.

The Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee faces significant threats from coastal development and habitat loss as human activities increasingly encroach upon its specialized shoreline nesting sites. Climate change poses additional risks through sea level rise and increased storm intensity, which can destroy nesting areas and alter the availability of native flowering plants essential for foraging. The species' restricted coastal distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to these localized but intensive pressures.

Threat summary

Habitat

Coastal dunes, sandy cliffs, and maritime grasslands along temperate shorelines where it excavates nesting burrows in sandy or soft soil substrates. The species requires proximity to diverse native coastal flowering plants for pollen and nectar collection.

Other threatened species in Megachilidae

VU

Kirby's Lesser Mason Bee

Hoplitis leucomelana

Unknown
VU

Plain Dark-Bee

Stelis phaeoptera

Unknown
Viper's Bugloss Small-masonVU

Viper's Bugloss Small-mason

Hoplitis anthocopoides

Unknown
VU

Rufescent Sharp-tail Bee

Coelioxys rufescens

Unknown

Threatened in Austria

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
Anthophore estivaleCR

Anthophore estivale

Anthophora aestivalis

Unknown
Adonis BlueVU

Adonis Blue

Lysandra bellargus

Unknown
agnhodeedderkoppCR

agnhodeedderkopp

Walckenaeria alticeps

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee classified as Vulnerable?
Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee faces significant threats from coastal development and habitat loss as human activities increasingly encroach upon its specialized shoreline nesting sites. Climate change poses additional risks through sea level rise and increased storm intensity, which can destroy nesting areas and alter the availability of native flowering plants essential for foraging. The species' restricted coastal distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to these localized but intensive pressures.
Where does Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee live?
Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee occurs in Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, and Croatia (plus 29 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee?
The main threats to Coastal Leaf-cutter Bee are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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