Miner bee ID

[Lord V]

First miner bee I've spotted this year - around 9.5mm body length.
Assume it is an Andrena sp. ?


Brian V.

[JRsbugs]

It looks like an Andrena sp. male, difficult to say which though.

Janet

[Matt Smith]

A male Andrena, most likely Andrena clarkella this early in the season, but not really possible to definitively ID from a photo.

[Lord V]

Thanks for the possible ID's
Brian v.

[Lord V]

Had the following comment on flickr-
"but isn't this Colletes cunicularius? In my opinion the 2nd and 3rd cubital cells are the same size, making this a Colletes. "

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Brian v.

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by Lord V

Had the following comment on flickr-
"but isn't this Colletes cunicularius? In my opinion the 2nd and 3rd cubital cells are the same size, making this a Colletes. "

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Brian v.

I'm not really into wing venation on bees, but I think it's too difficult to tell from that angle. Stuart would know more about what you could expect to see just now in the males.

By cubital cells are they referring to the submarginal cells?

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/e...3images/01.jpg

I found a pic of a typical Colletes wing venation, seems the two in question are different size? The vein below the 3rd submarginal cell is curved but that's not visible.

Colletes sp. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Lord V]

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

I'm not really into wing venation on bees, but I think it's too difficult to tell from that angle. Stuart would know more about what you could expect to see just now in the males.

By cubital cells are they referring to the submarginal cells?

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/e...3images/01.jpg

I found a pic of a typical Colletes wing venation, seems the two in question are different size? The vein below the 3rd submarginal cell is curved but that's not visible.

Colletes sp. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Fraid my ignorance is so complete I initially thought they meant something on the antenna but wing cell venation may make more sense.
Brian v.

[Lord V]

Another opinion confirming the original ID " agree on Andrena clarkella male.

Colletes cunicularius male would have 2nd + 3rd cubital equal length, greater size, more stocky build, hind margin of head less concave, dense long white hair on face, stronger dependance on open sandy soil."

Brian v.