A Tiny Black Bee & a Grey Shaggy Bee for ID

[tigger]

Just two of the many bees I can't ID at the moment in my garden in Dorset. I wondered if anyone had any ideas?

Many thanks. Jane

Tiny Black Bee - looks like it's legs may be a different colour. Only about 8mm long. Very skittish, always on the move (either running or flying) but comes back to same bush over and over again.



Grey/White Shaggy Bee. Very sparse grey/white hairs on thorax and face (just a worn out, older bee?). Settled on high hedge. Osmia caerulescens, female? However, I can't see any black pollen collecting hairs under the abdomen...

[Matt Smith]

First one is a solitary wasp. I'm pretty certain is's not a Crossocerus, perhaps Diodontus or something similar, one of the small ones.

Your bee is a faded male Andrena.

[tigger]

Thanks Matt. Could you let me know how you know the first is a wasp and not a bee? and also the pointers that make you think the 2nd is an Andrena sp.? Thanks. I'm learning and it will help.

[eucera]

The first is certainly a tiny wasp.... I'm thinking perhaps Passaloecus.

A silvery clypeus is a wasp character (among UK insects).

I am sure Matt is right about the bee... a very tired Andrena. I wouldn't like having to id this one even under a microscope

[tigger]

Thanks Eucera. I had to look up clypeus... but now that I know where it is, it's something I can look out for.

Poor old Andrena sp. - it did look old when i was watching it.

Cheers. Jane