Leafcutter bee

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:16 am

Megachilidae family, Stelis signata?
Parasitic species without ventral scopae if I'm right.
Great pollinators, they shake flowers masterfully.

Here is Leafcutter bee in companionship with Carpenter bee.

Camera model Olympus SP-320
Date/time 03.08.2006/14:19:08
Exposure time 1/640 s
F-number f/5.6
ISO 64
Focal length 8 mm

Camera model Olympus SP-320
Date/time 03.08.2006/14:19:15
Exposure time 1/640 s
F-number f/5.6
ISO 64
Focal length 8 mm

Camera model Olympus SP-320
Date/time 03.08.2006/14:19:19
Exposure time 1/640 s
F-number f/5.6
ISO 64
Focal length 8 mm

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:39 am

Wow, these are really sharp.

Love the colors and the markings on the bee. It won't be long now till warm weather returns here, along with the oppressing humidity from down in the gulf but with it comes all the things of spring and summer that we here so do miss at the moment. Really nice images there Nikola

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:53 pm

Good sharp images Nikola. I particlarly like #1.

Irwin

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:19 pm

You really pinned this one down Nikola - pic1 in particular is tack sharp plus!!

Hansome bug*** isn't he

Bruce

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:50 pm

Actually a "she". This another female Anthidinae group Megachilid. Possibly genus Anthidium. The scopa are somewhat visible in the last image.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:58 pm

I beg her pardon

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:27 pm

I sorta like the flower honeycomb thing more than the bee in these pictures Nikola..beautiful

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 7:28 pm

Gordon said:

This another female Anthidinae group Megachild.

Now I know where these rock groups get their names.

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 6:23 am

Thanks folks!

I knew I'll mess ID!

Scopa is placed on the belly, though, but can't see any pollen.
Stelis signata, which is common in this region, really looks like some Anthidiums.

I was concentrated on flowers shape (three stages) as much as on bee.

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:05 am

Ahh bloody hell it would help if I could spell. Although incredibly similar to Stelis if you look close at this picture of Stelis you will notice that the integument is much more heavily sculptured. This is quite a common thing with parasitic bees. The lack of pollen is quite common if the bee is foraging on a plant from which they do not collect pollen. They can be kind of picky at times. Leave it to a woman.
http://wildebijen.nl/stellis_signata.gif

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 8:01 am

Thank you for comprehensive explanations Gordon! I should keep your suggestion at first.