1983] 
Frolich & Parker — Eumegachile 
197 
same position as the first thus further sealing the leaf pieces to the 
walls. 
Once the second ring was in place the female continued to add to 
it by placing more masticated Oenothera on the inside of the ring 
and chewing and spreading it toward the center with the mandibles 
until a thin layer of moist leaf pulp covered the whole leaf pieces. 
Next, moist soil particles (not mud) were collected and placed at the 
base of the partition. These clods were cut into many tiny slivers 
which were taken singly or in groups and pressed into the pulpy 
partition with the mouthparts. These were then tamped in with the 
head as before. Oenothera and soil particles were retrieved alter- 
nately until the partition approached its ultimate size. 
As the partition increased in thickness the periods of tamping 
with the head grew longer. During the last half hour of partition 
construction tamping often lasted as long as 5 minutes and became 
combined with a grooming behavior. Before tamping the female 
groomed the posterior portion of the abdomen with her hind legs 
and collected a droplet of fluid that was passed to the middle legs 
and then the front legs. The fore tarsi with the secretion were then 
used to wipe down the face and antennae; especially the clypeal and 
mandibular areas that came in contact with the partition during 
tamping. Possibly the act of tamping or packing at this point not 
only shaped and defined the partition but incorporated a secretion 
as well. 
After the last leaf pulp and soil were added the concave surface of 
the partition was further modified. The female laid on her back and 
groomed the posterior portion of the abdomen and again passed a 
droplet of liquid to the middle and fore-legs. This time the secretion 
was placed between the mandibles and chewed vigorously. The 
female then chewed and licked the outer surface of the partition. As 
this was finished, provisioning ensued. No threshold or rudiment of 
an apical partition was laid down prior to provisioning. 
Provisioning. The female first backed into the cell with a load of 
pollen carried on the abdominal scopa. Deposition of the first 
pollen load began about 3 mm in front of the basal partition and 
was spread backwards with the feet in the kicking motion. The 
pollen was removed first by the hind legs rubbing together toward 
the middle of the sterna. Pollen remaining on the venter between the 
