author(s)
Sandeep KJ and Muthuraman M

abstract
The paper describes and illustrates the most common blue banded bee occurring in India is Amegilla zonata (Linnaeus). Both the sexes can be easily differentiated easily based on size, clypeal markings, compound eyes, number of flagellomeres, mandibles and bluish bands on metasoma. These bees are characterized by long glossa, short paraglossa, six segmented maxillary palp, hind leg with scopa and legs lacking arolia. In male bee the gonostylus is reduced to a blister.