Osmia (Pyrosmia) gallarum (Spinola, 1808)

Osmia (Pyrosmia) gallarum (Spinola, 1808) View in CoL – Belg. sp. nov.

Figs 7 View Fig , 12 E View Fig , 14 E View Fig

SHORT DESCRIPTION: This small Osmia (7-8 mm) is the only species that occurs in Belgium with the combination of a metallic blue shine and white scopa. Males resemble O. caerulescens (Linnaeus, 1758) with blue eyes and yellow-brown hairs on its body, but have three blunt lobes on the last tergite instead of two. Other than regular nesting locations like hollow stems and dead wood, this species has also been found nesting in large galls on oak, such as those from Andricus kollari ( WESTRICH, 2018) .

DISTRIBUTION IN EUROPE: This species is widespread across Europe, from southern Spain (reaching North Africa) to northern Germany and Turkey ( SCHEUCHL & WILLNER, 2016). There are no records from the United Kingdom ( ELSE & EDWARDS, 2018) and the Netherlands ( REEMER 2018, www.waarneming.nl), but it is present in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg ( HERRERA MESÍAS & WEIGAND, 2021), Germany and France ( SCHEUCHL & WILLNER, 2016).

EU RED LIST STATUS: Least concern (LC) ( NIETO et al., 2014)

ORIGIN OF RECORDS:

- NAMUR PROVINCE. Rochefort ; 1♂ ; 14.vi.2019, leg./coll./det. J.Y. Baugnée. 1♂; 29.v.2023; leg./coll. M. Wielandts; det. J. D’Haeseleer, W. Vertommen – Fig. 12 E View Fig . Vresse-sur-Semois; 1♀; 20.vii.2020; leg. P. Smeets; coll. P. Megens; det. J. Smit.