Sphecodes or a 'Look-alike' Lasioglossum? - Hoplitis

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Apoidea (clade Anthophila) - Bees » Leafcutter, Mason, and Resin Bees, and allies (Megachilidae) » Leafcutter, Resin, Mortar, Sharptail, Mason, and Woolcarder bees and relatives (Megachilinae) » Mason bees and relatives (Osmiini) » Hoplitis

Photo#474066

Copyright © 2010 Aaron Schusteff

Sphecodes or a 'Look-alike' Lasioglossum? - Hoplitis -

Near Rocky Point, Saddle Springs Rd, Paiute Mountain, Sequoia National Forest, Kern County, California, USA
June 11, 2010

Observed in open sandy area in montane mixed oak-conifer woodland at ~ 6500' elevation, with abundant Phacelia curvipes (or perhaps P. davidsonii) and other wildflowers in bloom nearby.

This individual seemed to be checking out various small holes (bee burrows?) in the open sand, so I figured it might be a parasitic bee.

Later, I tried keying it in Stephen, Bohart, & Torchio(1) and it seemed to go to Sphecodes. And when I checked out Sphecodes images on BugGuide, they seemed to be a good match.

But then I bumped into this similar looking post, originally suspected to be Sphecodes, in which John Ascher pointed out the presence of pollen on the legs, and ID'ed it as Lasioglossum ovaliceps. The bee in my images here also has pollen on its leg. Hmmm?

Images of this individual: tag all

Sphecodes or a 'Look-alike' Lasioglossum? - Hoplitis - female

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Contributed by Aaron Schusteff on 19 November, 2010 - 10:25pm
Last updated 5 June, 2022 - 2:54pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… John S. Ascher, 20 November, 2010 - 11:43am

Osmiini female

I suspect it's a Hoplitis

Pollen is adhering to the underside of the metasoma, not to the legs

Was Cryptantha blooming in the area?

… John S. Ascher, 20 November, 2010 - 11:43am

Thanks, John!

Oh well...my speculations were wrong on all three counts!

I found two more shots of this bee on flowers of what is either Phacelia curvipes or P. davidsonii. I'll add those two images to this series. (Note: P. davidsonii can vary "towards" P. curvipes in such a way that they can be difficult to tell apart.)

Some of the other plants I can remember in flower were: Gilia leptantha ssp. purpusii, Phacelia austromontana, Linanthus nudatus and a lupine. I don't recall any Cryptantha blooming there, but it may have been present nearby.

… Aaron Schusteff, 20 November, 2010 - 9:08pm

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