Halictus confusus?

[JRsbugs]

Hi,

Another I think I may have found, but not sure.

It looks like Halictus confusus to me, but I don't know if it could be confusus with any other bee.

Middle bee, second row from bottom,

Heathland bees

A lot of pics on Bugguide..

Species Halictus confusus - BugGuide.Net

Two different lots, only one pic on the Ceanothus on 30th may 09. Other one on Lovage on 12th June 09, they look the same bee.

I can't find out when this one flies, is anyone familiar with it?



Janet

[Jason Green]

Evening Janet,

Well, it's certainly a Halictidae to me - greeny metallic in colour with the typical head-shape of this family. Now, I have found very few images online, but those I have come across, including your links, seem to show confusus as having a redish-orange tint to the terminal abdominal segment (I wasn't familiar with confusus before, so this may just be logical reasoning without scientific basis from me ). This is a trait yours seems to have...

I think I may secretly back your ID, but wait in the wings for a more experienced reply

Take care,

Jason

PS It's an RDB3 species, too.

[Geoff F]

I'm afraid my bee knowledge is still a bit limited, so I bought the Bees of Surrey book to help. Even if Surrey is some distance away, I still find the information useful.

They say H. confusus is rare and mostly confined to a few sandy heaths of SE England. It gets confused with the common H. tumulorum, especially females which need microscopic examination. They only give a couple of sightings during June, like yours.

[JRsbugs]

Thanks for the interest.

Geoff, I have what is a possible H. tumulorum, agreed by Stuart, it looks quite different.

I have many other species which are not listed as being here, but Halictus confusus has a wider distribution according to the maps on BWARS. Maybe some are older records, but if you have been following the species of any insect I have been finding here, you will see I have in the space of a year found a lot of rarities, some only found with a record or two on the south coast.

I am in a sandy, heathland area, as well as having woodlands and hedgerows, so I'm getting species found in both but also species found in more unlikely areas.

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

you will see I have in the space of a year found a lot of rarities, some only found with a record or two on the south coast.

Which one, please?

[JRsbugs]

Several jason, not bees but flies mainly.

Nostima picta

http://diptera.info/photogallery.php?photo_id=4956

NBN Gateway - interactive species mapper

Hydrellia albilabris is still south of me,

Diptera.info - Photo Albums: Hydrellia albilabris (1)

NBN Gateway - interactive species mapper

I know I have more which are not supposed to be here but I would have to dig them up. I still have plenty to ID too.

[Jason Green]

Thanks for getting back. Ha! I've had N. picta too - in Feb 2009. What is the UK status, then? I didn't know it was a rarity, or are you going by distribution maps?

[JRsbugs]

All you have to do is google to find not a lot!

Nostima picta - Faunaflora.org.uk -

I guess because it's so small it's not easily seen. I saw it twice, but I stare at my wall a lot.

I've found many insects on that small bit of wall, near the ground, that's where I got the short-winged wasp which has only one record on the coast of Wales. I was looking for springtails and it came into the viewfinder!

[JRsbugs]

I think this could be Lasioglossum calceatum, that is one I know I have every year. Females can be more confusing than males.

http://www.natureconservationimaging...alceatum-2.jpg