Coelioxys - Sharp-tailed Bee (f)
Our Staffordshire garden has once again delivered on the bee front, with this female Coelioxys Sharp-tailed Bee. Three species are found in the county; C. rufescens, C. inermis and C. elongata. All are rarely recorded in the county.
Separating the species is really for the specialist (which I'm not). Looking at Steven Falk's description of the species, this looks like it could be Coelioxys elongata. The punctures get progressively smaller, the further down the abdomen. It also has erect hairs on the face. Whatever, this is another exciting garden find for me.
Coelioxys bees are brood parasites (cuckoo bees) of leafcutter bees (and other species). This is the 27th species of bee that I've photographed in the garden this year!
[UPDATE: I'm advised that the gradation in surface punctures relates only to the sternites (the plates underneath) not the tergites (those on top). Not an easy feature to see in a live specimen! It would seem that this is therefore likely to be Coelioxys elongata OR Coelioxys inermis and it reinforces just how difficult it can be to differentiate species from photographs (often impossible)!]
Coelioxys - Sharp-tailed Bee (f)
Our Staffordshire garden has once again delivered on the bee front, with this female Coelioxys Sharp-tailed Bee. Three species are found in the county; C. rufescens, C. inermis and C. elongata. All are rarely recorded in the county.
Separating the species is really for the specialist (which I'm not). Looking at Steven Falk's description of the species, this looks like it could be Coelioxys elongata. The punctures get progressively smaller, the further down the abdomen. It also has erect hairs on the face. Whatever, this is another exciting garden find for me.
Coelioxys bees are brood parasites (cuckoo bees) of leafcutter bees (and other species). This is the 27th species of bee that I've photographed in the garden this year!
[UPDATE: I'm advised that the gradation in surface punctures relates only to the sternites (the plates underneath) not the tergites (those on top). Not an easy feature to see in a live specimen! It would seem that this is therefore likely to be Coelioxys elongata OR Coelioxys inermis and it reinforces just how difficult it can be to differentiate species from photographs (often impossible)!]