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Photo#510639
another cuckoo bee - Townsendiella rufiventris

another cuckoo bee - Townsendiella rufiventris
Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station, Claremont, Los Angeles County, California, USA
April 30, 2011

Perhaps a male?
Hi Hartmut :-) Hope all's well with you.

John Ascher just placed a recent post of mine as T. rufiventris too:

   

...and in both your post & mine I can see the "medial bump" on the distal tip of the metanotum (a uniquely diagnostic character for the species within the geneus, per Orr & Griswold(2015)).

However, the tip of the abdomen in my 1st photo appears more more "nipple-like" and I think can see a short, narrow, black ovipositor sticking out there...compared to a more rounded terminus in your photo and no apparent ovipositor.

So I'm thinking your photo here shows a male, and mine a female. What do you think?

PS: I can't get a dependable count of the antennal segments...and though I addressed a comment to John Ascher under my post, I don't expect a response since I think he turns off "subscription" to the (myriad!) posts he comments on (I'm sure he's usually too busy to reply to all the many responses he gets!).

 
Thank you, Aaron -
I wish I had more spare time! Have made a note for my next visit to LA NHM to look at specimens & see the difference between genders. Will let you know.

Moved
Moved from Cuckoo Bees.

Moved
Townsendiella?

 
Yes,
this appears to be Townsendiella rufiventris.

Execellent find !

Happy 2016 Hartmut, John, and other BugGuide friends !

 
Happy 2016 to you and your family, Emile!
THANKS, Emile, your comments served as a reminder/ wake-up call to get back to this! Some time ago, after John Ascher's comment, I landed on T. rufiventris based on Linsley. Also, there's a collection record at the Field Station (Molly Rightmyer, 04/18/2002). However, I wasn't certain, also forgot about the matter due to loads of family obligations.
I just checked with James Hung who has collected a series of this and agrees with the ID.

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