To bee or not to bee

[Nick Smith]

Is it a bee? Took this in the garden, next to it is a bamboo cane which is holding the plant up. The cane is less than half an inch across.

[JRsbugs]

It is a bee, not sure which but Andrena dorsata is a possibility.

I think the angle is giving a false idea of the abdomen shape, and of course it's a bit worn so difficult but it looks familiar!

I don't know if they are still around but I'm sure Stuart will come along.

Janet

[eucera]

This looks mor Halictine than Andrenine to me. Could be one of the Lasioglossum albipes/calceatum pair

[JRsbugs]

Yes I have to agree with that to a point Stuart, the stripes and abdomen shape don't quite look right for Andrena, but the angle is not the best to show the shape. I had thought as the cane size is 'less than half an inch across' I was assuming it was close to half an inch, making the bee look bigger. The face just didn't look like Lasioglossum to me either. Tail looks a little long though, but not narrow enough, confusing!

[Nick Smith]

I have another photo. Maybe that can help, although it looks about the same angle but cropped closer

[Nick Smith]

I took some more this morning while they were fresh and clean after a good rain. Hope these angles help.







there were 2 this morning. Do they live solitary lives or are they communal?

[Nick Smith]

Here is another I assume is a bee. They love the Magnolias. It stores the pollen under it's abdomen. I think I might have to buy a book to help me identify all the stuff I see and photograph.

[Nick Smith]

Another shot of the same bee almost in flight

[JRsbugs]

It certainly is a tricky one still Nick, again the angle makes the abdomen look not as 'curved' on the sides as one would expect with Andrena. I'm looking at the tail tip too, I believe Andrena dorsata has some pale hairs on that and yours does look to have some.

I looked around and found a pic of A. dorsata (if correct!) at the same angle, what do you think?

Andrena dorsata f on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Having said all that, Stuart may be correct, with his experience, but photos can fool the mind.

[JRsbugs]

I've just looked at your next set of 3 pics, I'm still stuck with Andrena dorsata!

To answer your question about solitary lives, I'm not an expert on this but I believe you would get more than one soitary bee using a similar site next to another one, but still with their single nests.