Author: Panzer, 1804

Type species: Trachusa serratulae Panzer, 1804 = Apis byssina Panzer, 1798, by designation of Sandhouse, 1943.
Subgenera: Archianthidium Mavromoustakis, 1939; Paraanthidium Friese, 1898; Trachusa s.str. Panzer, 1804.
Synonyms: Protanthidium Cockerell and Cockerell, 1901; Protoanthidium Cameron, 1902; Diphysis Lepeletier, 1841; Megachileoides Radoszkowski, 1874; Megachiloides Saussure, 1890.
Clade: Anthophila
Family: Megachilidae
SubF: Megachilinae
Tribe: Anthidiini
Distinctive traits
  • black and yellow (yellow only on the face of the male for T. byssina)
  • 2 submarginal cells
  • 2nd recurrent vein reaching beyond submarginal cell 2 (except in Archiantidium subgenus).
  • females with ventral scopa
  • presence of arolium
  • scutellum rounded
  • posterior tibia with rounded dorso-apical plate
  • female mandible with 4 teeth
  • male sternites 4 and 5 with tuff of black hairs
  • Hindwing with anal crossvein at least as long as 2nd abscissa of cubital vein.
Pictures of distinctive traits.
Morphologically close genera and how to distinguish them
  • Trachusa - Rhodanthidium
Trachusa species have a rounded dorso-apical plate of the posterior tibia.
Rhodanthidium species have at least one apical tooth on the dorso-apical plate of the posterior tibia.
  • Trachusa - Afranthidium, Anthidium, Icteranthidium & Pseudoanthidium
Trachusa species do have an arolium between their claws.
Afranthidium, Anthidium, Icteranthidium & Pseudoanthidium species don't have an arolium between their claws.
  • Trachusa - Anthidiellum
Trachusa species have a rounded scutellum and are larger.
Anthidiellum species have a subrectangular, posteriorly extended scutellum and are much smaller.
  • Trachusa - Eoanthidium
Trachusa species don't have a carina at their antennal fossa.
Eoanthidium species have a carinate antennal fossa.
  • Trachusa - Stelis
Trachusa species have rounded axillae, males have one apical tooth (sometimes bifid) on their anterior and median tibiae and females have a ventral scopa.
Stelis species may have pointed axillae, males have two widely separated apical teeth on their anterior and median tibiae and females have no ventral scopa.
  • Trachusa - Melitturga
Trachusa species have a pointed marginal cell, a second recurrent vein anteriorly connecting after the second submarginal cell (except for Archianthidium), males have normal eyes and females have a ventral brush.
Melitturga species have a truncated marginal cell, a second recurrent vein anteriorly connecting at the second submarginal cell, males with enlarged eyes and females without a ventral brush.
General comments on Trachusa species identification
Diagnostic characters for species identification are located on the mandibles, maxillary palps, scutellum and axillae, as well as genitalia and sternites. These area should be made visible as far as possible.
Sorry, but the species identification tool is not yet available for Trachusa. 
Please check the reference(s) below for traditional keys.
List of the 7 Trachusa species found in Europe (IUCN 2014 + Rasmont et al 2017):
Trachusa (Archianthidium) laeviventris (Dours, 1873)
Trachusa (Archianthidium) laticeps (Morawitz, 1873)
Trachusa (Archianthidium) pubescens (Morawitz, 1872)
Trachusa (Paraanthidium) dumerlei (Warncke, 1980)
Trachusa (Paraanthidium) interrupta (Fabricius, 1781)
Trachusa (Paraanthidium) integra (Eversmann, 1852)
Trachusa (Trachusa) byssina (Panzer, 1798)
References with identification keys for some of the species:
  • Warncke, K. 1980. Die Bienengattung Anthidium Fabricius, 1804 in der Westpaläarktis und im turkestanischen Becken. Entomofauna 1(10): 119-210.
  • Kasparek M. (2017) Resin bees of the anthidiine genus Trachusa - Identification, taxonomy, distribution and biology of the Old World species. Entomofauna, supplement, 21, 1-155.
Online resources:
Atlas hymenoptera (Belgium)
Exotic Bee ID (World)
Discover Life (World)
WestPalBees (West Palearctic)
Page contributors:
  • Adrien Perrard (Dec. 2019)

You noticed a mistake? You have a suggestion to improve this page?
Don't keep it to yourself, please contact us and become a contributor to IDmyBee!
References used to write this page:
  • Kasparek, M., 2020. Revision of the Palaearctic Trachusa interrupta species complex (Apoidea: Anthidiini) with description of four new species. Zootaxa, 4728(1), pp.1-48.
  • Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World, 2nd Edition. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
  • Michez D., Rasmont P., Terzo, M., Vereecken, N. 2019. Abeilles d'Europes. Hymenoptères d'Europes, Volume 1. N.A.P. Editions.
  • Nieto, A., Roberts, S. P., Kemp, J., Rasmont, P., Kuhlmann, M., García Criado, M., ... & Michez, D. 2014. European red list of bees. Luxembourg: Publication Office of the European Union, 98.
  •  Rasmont, P., Devalez, Jelle, Pauly, A., Michez, D. & Radchenko, V.G. 2017. Addition to the checklist of IUCN European wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Annales de la Société entomologique de France 53: 17-32.