I wonder if anyone on Bee-L knows about a spectacular Megachilid bee,
Anthidium manicatum. It is an introduced species, but there are native
ones I think. The bees may be larger than a honeybee, they have a
broad abdomen, with yellow patterning as incomplete bands extending
from the sides part way across on each segment.
 
Please let us know if you have seen one of these bees, or if you have
records in your insect collection. Thank you very much
 
Peter Kevan, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.