Amegilla Zonata

Amegilla zonata is a species of blue-banded bees belonging to the family Apidae Order-Hymenoptera, Subgenus-Zonamegilla
Blue banded bees are commonly seen on flowers. These bees have a greater role in crop pollination. They extend excellent ecological service as a crop pollinator. They are adequate pollinators of eggplant, capsicum and tomatoesMale bees and female bees are floral visitors and collect floral rewards. Flight activity of female bee begins just before dawn and continues upto dusk. They collect nectar or pollen from 21 crop plants and 12 weeds. Among the various plant families Fabaceae, Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae are predominantly preferred and foraged. They are attracted mainly to yellow coloured flowers. Female bee guards the nest by remaining within the nest shaft. Most of the sleeping clusters are intraspecific and male biased and rarely sex mixed. Males take rest during dusk either singly or in a cluster on the terminal end of the dried weeds by grasping the stem firmly with their mandibles and fall asleep.