Michener (1968) describes describes nests collected from Hout Bay and Noorhoek Cape Peninsula, both Cape Province, South Africa. Early spring excavating activity began September 1 in sandy soil. Bees were provisioning cells by mid October. Even by the end of November, only early-stage immatures were collected. All spring nests were initiated by over-wintered females who were relatively large for the species. The only excavated nest was from Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa. It contained 29 cells (2 out of 17 pupae were male) and 12 adult females. Only one female was inseminated and had developed ovaries. She was presumably the queen, and was the largest of the group. The other 5 individuals dissected were presumably workers. This species is apparently eusocial. Nest burrows were 18-27 cm deep, with clumped, horizontally oriented cells. The following is extracted from Wcislo and Engel (1996) Appendeces 1 and 2, based largely on the information from Michener (1968): Nests in Soil. Turret or nest chimney is present. Maximum depth of nest in soil is up to 50 cm. The orientation of the main axis of the nest cell is intermediate between vertical and horizontal. A cell lining is present. Cells are arranged in the nest scattered at the end of lateral tunnels. Cells are attached to the main tunnel with lateral tunnels. The shape of the pollen mass inside the cell is a slightly flattened sphere. The pollen mass is oriented snugly in the bottom of the cell. The orientation of the main tunnel in the soil is vertical. The main tunnel has no branches. The nest entrance is not plugged when female(s) leave the nest. Nests are dug into horizontal ground.
