Andrena bicolor?

[JRsbugs]

Hi,

Taken on 22nd April 2008 inside Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane'. A very small bee, I got two more pics as it struggled to climb this mountain, these pics show from above the face and part of the mandibles are visible.

The only other one which looks similar that I have found is Andrena thoracica, but to me it looks more like Andrena bicolor.

Janet






Adding the top face view, it shows the leg hairs to be perhaps black under the pollen, maybe it is Andrena thoracica.

[tristanba]

thoracica is large - I'd agree these are female bicolor - nice pics

cheers
Tristan

[eucera]

A. thoracica is large, declining, and almost restricted to the extreme south coast. This looks very like A. bicolor to me too

[JRsbugs]

Thanks Tristan.

Thanks to you too Stuart. I had wondered about size, but I don't have the information. I will get fed up with playing that record and eventually splash out on a good reference book!