Two little bees for ID

[Hedera]

Both working on a very popular heuchera plant:

[Jason Green]

Afternoon Hed,

It looks like a small Andrena.

Take care,

Jason

[JRsbugs]

I'd say the first is Andrena dorsata, second Andrena bicolor, both female.

Janet

[Hedera]

Thanks both.
Nothing out yet, Janet!!

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by Hedera

Thanks both.
Nothing out yet, Janet!!

Lol, I was a little puzzed at first until I realised you meant the cocoons. I must check on mine..

[Matt Smith]

The first bee had adpressed hair bands on the anterior part of the abdominal segments, not the marginal areas of the tergites, so that rules it out being an Andrena. Most likely one of the larger Lasioglossum species, possible L.calceatum, but I wouldn't like to hang a full species ID on it from the one photo.

Second one is an Andrena as well.

[JRsbugs]

MY first impression was Hylaeus Matt. I thought I could see hairs on the bottom edge of the tergites too. I then thought it was more likely just a fuzzy effect of the lighting, and maybe to do with the white stripes as well. I had thought it could be Hylaeus rubicundus but the hind tibia and tarsi are dark.

Looking at the photo enlarged more, there could be hairs at the bottom margin but it's difficult to see. Any ideas which species we have with white stripes that it might be?

[Matt Smith]

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

MY first impression was Hylaeus Matt. I thought I could see hairs on the bottom edge of the tergites too. I then thought it was more likely just a fuzzy effect of the lighting, and maybe to do with the white stripes as well. I had thought it could be Hylaeus rubicundus but the hind tibia and tarsi are dark.

Looking at the photo enlarged more, there could be hairs at the bottom margin but it's difficult to see. Any ideas which species we have with white stripes that it might be?

If you look at the adpressed hairs you will see they are at the top/front of the segment (anterior), not along the rear margin. This means it is a Lasioglossum species, Halictus species would have posterior hair bands running along the hind margin of the tergite.

As I said, best guess is L.calceatum from the general look of the beast, but a full ID is not possible from the photo.

[Hedera]

I will keep an eye out for them to turn up again, hadn't seen either before on the flowers. Try and get a better photo but they are very sensitive!

[Hedera]

I think I've got the little bee again with the white stripes: or its sister!