Andrena ID? - Cambs (UK) (1 Viewer)

[DoghouseRiley]

Hi All
I came across some small bees the other day. They appear to be solitary although there were quite a few in the same place.
There were also some Nomad Bees that appeared to take an interest in the activities of the bees. I haven't identified the
Nomads yet and thought that knowing the bee might help if they are their parasitic partner.

I think that the bees are Andrena sp.?

Perhaps someone copuld take a look at my average photos and hopefully help identify?

Yours, Gareth

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Anyone any ideas?

 

[creaturesnapper]

I am definitely not an expert on bees and these Andrena bees are tricky . Maybe

Early Mining Bee - Andrena haemorrhoa male .​

 

[DoghouseRiley]

I am definitely not an expert on bees and these Andrena bees are tricky . Maybe

Early Mining Bee - Andrena haemorrhoa male .​

As always, thanks for your help

 

[Ficedula]

As always, thanks for your help

Not haemorrhoa, hind tibia all black, it is a male and I wouldnt venture an id without specimen

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Not haemorrhoa, hind tibia all black, it is a male and I wouldnt venture an id without specimen

Ficedula, I have a Nomad Bee that was harassing the Andrena, so I am trying to pair them up.
The hind tibia..... can this be variable? Attached image from Steven Falk -

https://flic.kr/p/2fmaihU

He says that they are usually orange but as one his own examples shows, this may not be a deciding factor.
If it is A. haemorrhoa then the Nomad (attached) could be Nomada ruficornis?
Yours, Gareth

 

[Ficedula]

Ficedula, I have a Nomad Bee that was harassing the Andrena, so I am trying to pair them up.
The hind tibia..... can this be variable? Attached image from Steven Falk -

https://flic.kr/p/2fmaihU

He says that they are usually orange but as one his own examples shows, this may not be a deciding factor.
If it is A. haemorrhoa then the Nomad (attached) could be Nomada ruficornis?
Yours, Gareth

Well all insects are variable, this is why ID from photos is so dodgy. haemorrhoa always shows some red on hind tibia or basitarsus, in photos often looking a bit brown, yours shows pretty intense black. As for Nomads, I wouldn't like to risk naming these, and simply being close to each other in the field is not much help, Nomada are often found without seeing their host and vice versa.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Well all insects are variable, this is why ID from photos is so dodgy. haemorrhoa always shows some red on hind tibia or basitarsus, in photos often looking a bit brown, yours shows pretty intense black. As for Nomads, I wouldn't like to risk naming these, and simply being close to each other in the field is not much help, Nomada are often found without seeing their host and vice versa.

Thanks for your input as always. Photo's are the only way for me. I can accept it if I can't tie down the species.

Thanks again. G

 

[Ficedula]

Thanks for your input as always. Photo's are the only way for me. I can accept it if I can't tie down the species.

Thanks again. G

If you are not going to take specimens then this is an essential attitude. Only images that show positive and diagnostic features can safely be named from photos, usually in genera without many species. Usually this means structural characters, colours being less reliable.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

I get that Ficedula and I am resigned to the fact that I won't be able to get down to species level on many. But I am a photographer more than an amateur entemologist. I like nature full stop. And I struggle killing things just so I can identify them. It's a personal thing and I don't judge others, it's just not for me and I hope this doesn't offend. G