White / Grey Bee for Id please

philipc · #1 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 04:51 PM

Hello All

Any chance of a suggestion for an ID on this bee.

Picture was taken about a week ago it was fast little critter and this was the only picture in focus of about 6 taken. It was only around for half a day and never saw it again.

Hope you can help

Regards Philip

eucera · #2 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:19 PM

Wow

I suspect that once upon a time this was a reddish little bee! It is a complete ruin, and bleached by the sun. I have a feeling this just might be an ancient male specimen of Osmia rufa!

philipc · #3 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 09:02 PM

Thanks for the suggested ID. It would perhaps explain why I had so much trouble finding a comparison using the ID charts on the WEB.

For an old chap he was quite sprightly on the wing. I can only hope to be as agile in my twilight years.

Anywho thanks again for the reply

Regards Philip