Is this bee Colletes sp?

[Geoff F]

In my S. Devon garden. Feeding on Hebe salicifolia, but heather nearby.



I've had a couple of 'false starts' this year with bees that I initially thought might be a Colletes species but that turned out to be slight variations of my common garden bees.

This time I have tried to use the 'Bees of Surrey' ID keys but, as often occurs, I find they are difficult to follow from photos.

So is this now one of the Colletes, or am I still getting confused?

[Matt Smith]

Yes - it's a Colletes.

[Geoff F]

So I've finally got it right! Thanks for the confirmation.

And I doubt it is possible to get beyond that from those poor photo angles.

[eucera]

I'm afraid it is almost impossible to determine Colletes from photos. However, it is a very fresh male with brownish/orange hair bands and we are just starting the Colletes hederae season (first records this year of a male and female in Eastbourne)... so it could just be this species. Keep your eyes open on flowering Ivy and you may well see more (if indeed this really is C. hederae).

[Geoff F]

Yes I was lucky to see a mating swarm last year; although it was a couple of weeks later and the ivy hasn't quite started flowering yet.

I was intending to try to visit a few suitable locations again this year.