Hoplitis

Hoplitis is a large, diverse, and almost cosmopolitan group of megachilid bees. Most species have a dark cuticle without any metallic luster and a neat body pilosity that forms interrupted abdominal bands on the margins of the tergites. Females have strong, but slender mandibles and a rather stout build. Like other megachilids, they have a ventral scopa. Males typically have a lighter coloration than females and green or light gray eyes. They can be identified by the shape of the abdominal tip, which may be bifid, rounded, or truncated and is usually accompanied on each side by a lateral, tooth-like projection protruding from the previous segment. All species within this genus are solitary, but there is much diversity in nesting behavior, feeding preferences, and in the material used for the brood cell construction.