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Photo#24342
Osmia - female

Osmia - Female
Angeles Crest, ~7000 ft., San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles County, California, USA
July 11, 2005
Size: ~12mm
Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon trichocalyx) is in full flower and lots of insects come shopping. Here I think I caught a Megachilid, an Osmia? Gender?

Images of this individual: tag all
Osmia - female Osmia - female Osmia - female Osmia - female

I suspect this is subgenus Melanosmia
but am not certain

 
Thanks, John,
for the update.

Osmia or Hoplitis.
I'm pretty sure that both Osmia and Hoplitis have metallic members in those genera. Osmia for sure. Nice images!

 
Osmia female
There are metallic Hoplitis (Monumetha) in CA, but these are bright metallic, and very slender; the common species is H. fulgida, subspecies playtura. Other far less common species occur at high elevations.

There are also blue metallic Stelis s.str. in CA

 
Thanks John,
for your information. This bee is from >7000 ft, so I'll try to get a sample this summer.