Solitary bee & hoverfly ID help, please

[Monkey Orchid]

Hi, folks.

I photographed the two insects below in a chalk downland nature reserve near Goring, south Oxfordshire. Would appreciate some help with ID.

1. Photographed this sleepy solitary bee on a chilly late March afternoon. I think it's Andrena sp, but not sure which one.






2. Photographed this hoverfly on a sunny afternoon at the same site, 24th April. I think it's Chrysotoxem sp, probably C. festivum, but again I'm not 100% sure.




All suggestions, confirmations etc gratefully received!

[Jason Green]

Morning Sylvia,

The first... I'm tempted to say Halictus rubicundus, but not sure if it's a touch early. Still, it's a relative I'd think. I'm sure Stu'll be along soon!

The second is actually a Xanthogramma sp., but I haven't decided on which one I think it is yet! One difference between these genera is the antenna, Chrysotoxum having longer and darker ones.

Take care,

Jason

[eucera]

Difficult to get your bee to species level, but it is certainly a species of Lasioglossum. workig on the size, it looks like a reproductive female of either L. calceatum or L. albipes.

I have been to your reserve on a number of occasions and the bees are pretty well known from the site. All sorts of good stuff including a number of important RDB species

[Matt Smith]

Bee: Lasioglossum sp, probably L.calceatum but could be L.albipes - really need to look at a specimen to confirm.

Hoverfly: Xanthogramma citrofasciatum - narrow bands on Tergite 2.

[Geoff F]

From those angles, that hoverfly appears to have a rather short and wide abdomen. So I can easily see how you thought it might be Chrysotoxum sp.

That would have been my first 'in the field without my glasses' thoughts before my brain slowly started to work!

[Monkey Orchid]

Thank you all, for your help!