ID pls for small bee with catfish look?

[Dillybythesea]

Janet you're a real inspiration. I've really enjoyed going through the links/ pics and places they took me, despite coming to no firm conclusion. I'm resolved today to watch the same area and try to get better pics from more angles, and a better feel for the sizes. It's all so absorbing isn't it - no time for anything else really! ATB, Dill

[Matt Smith]

The "classic" bee with "horns" on the face is a female Osmia rufa. Another species with assorted bumps on the face (used to hold pollen on the way back to the nest) is Hylaeus cornutus.

[JRsbugs]

Funnily I saw what appears to be a female Lasioglossum calceatum today, I got a couple of pics. This looks the same bee as I have had, but was around 10mm long, must have been fed well last year as I'm sure last year's was smaller.

Yes it is absorbing, I allocate the first part of my day to taking pics, then do gardening jobs later when it becomes a little less active with bees etc.!

Matt, Hylaeus cornutus is not one I've had yet, I see it extends to not far south of me so there's a possibility. I do have H. communis every year, the female is fond of blue Geraniums I have.

[Dillybythesea]

Hi again. Thanks to you (and Matt) I’ve had a great day watching and googling/bwarsing/etc, and have come to the conclusion that while the jury’s still out on the catfish, my burrowing females are nothing more exciting than Andrena dorsata, and with males about, too, to strengthen the case. Does that seem right to you, from the pics above?

The Lasioglossum calceatum looked a great match, but I see that the males are very striking and I’ve seen nothing like that. Nor with the white face of the Hylaeus cornutus. But now that you’ve drawn my attention to Halictus confuses, I noticed (whilst watching the A. dorsata in her hole watching me), this smaller bee land nearby (below), and seemed just right?

And during all this a few more oddities came past, but I’ll post them as a new thread tomorrow praps, because I’m not sure I should keep extending this indefinitely?

Many many thanks again, Dill

[Jason Green]

Hi Dil,

If you're asking if the bee photographed is H. confuses - which, whilst it does confuse, is actually spelt 'Confusus' - I think it might be part of the Lasioglossum morio group, but don't quote me on that!

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by Dillybythesea

Hi again. Thanks to you (and Matt) I’ve had a great day watching and googling/bwarsing/etc, and have come to the conclusion that while the jury’s still out on the catfish, my burrowing females are nothing more exciting than Andrena dorsata, and with males about, too, to strengthen the case. Does that seem right to you, from the pics above?

The Lasioglossum calceatum looked a great match, but I see that the males are very striking and I’ve seen nothing like that.

The abdomen isn't right for Andrena dorsata, even if you don't see a male which you think matches doesn't mean you don't have the female. Males of Lasioglossum calceatum are not around until July, overwintering females appear from March. I would still say it's most likely Lasioglossum calceatum.

As Jason says, your last one would be probably of the Lasioglossum morio group, a female.

[Dillybythesea]

Many thanks again Janet and Jason! I had to laugh - all day looking and checking - and still wrong! Just came across a whole lot more images on Lasioglossum (a genus of mining bees) and can see it looks identical. How clever you are. So now am going to try to see what's different in the abdomen that makes it not dorsata, and see if I can find out how it doesn't matter if males don't arrive till summer, and look for images of the Lasioglossum morio group, and write out confusus 100 times! Thanks again! Dill

[Jason Green]

I actually find the legs a giveaway! The femur looks long and appears to be right on the 'waist' that connects the abdomen to the thorax. The hind legs continue to run parallel to the thorax - which they are as long as. Generally it appears to be quite green and rounder/perhaps bigger in appearance, too.

[Dillybythesea]

Thank you Jason. I was getting nowhere spotting the difference. But now you say that, I think I can see what you mean about the legs.

Now that Janet has got me sexing the bees, I've been trying to narrow down the males today, to try to get a handle on who's who. I think I can pick out the A. bicolors and A. carantonicas but after that... well I'd be really grateful if you and Janet cld possibly tell me what any these are (or anyone else of course), and if any are the same?

Thanks for any input! Dill