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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) » Leafcutter, Resin, Mortar, and Sharptail bees (Megachilini) » Leafcutter and Resin Bees (Megachile) » Subgenus Xanthosarus (Megachile Subgenus Xanthosarus)
Photo#515641
Bee nectaring on Baptisia - Megachile
Copyright © 2011 Gerry Bishop

Bee nectaring on Baptisia - Megachile
Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Virginia, USA
May 13, 2011
Size: 12mm (about 1/2 inch)
Several of these bees have been nectaring on our wild blue indigo (Baptisia australis). I've never seen this species before, and the bees and flowers seem perfectly adapted to each other. You can see from this image that the bee has squeezed its way into a flower and is drinking nectar. The bee's entering the flower has caused the stamens to spring up and rub against the pollen-covered underside of the bee's abdomen, thus passing pollen on to the next flower it visits.

Does anyone know what species of bee this is?
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Contributed by Gerry Bishop on 13 May, 2011 - 8:36pm
Last updated 2 November, 2012 - 4:58pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John S. Ascher, 13 May, 2011 - 10:57pm login or register to post comments

Megachile (Xanthosarus) female
appears to be M. mucida or M. gemula
… John S. Ascher, 13 May, 2011 - 10:57pm login or register to post comments

 
Nectaring bee
Thanks, John!
… Gerry Bishop, 14 May, 2011 - 9:37am login or register to post comments

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