Is this a Black Honey Bee? (Cambs, uk) (1 Viewer)

[DoghouseRiley]

Hi All

Sturggled with this for ages and then came across an article where these bees have been seen in Cambridgeshire.

It was very energetic, big (the pictures are unedited 1:1 macro), at times tail wagging in the air.

Apis mellifera mellifera - Western Black Honey Bee (Or various variations of this name).

Thanks

Gareth

 

[aeshna5]

Not a Honey Bee. I'm far from expert on these so may well be wrong but possibly Osmia leaiana?

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Hi aeshna5

I think you are right. I discounted this due to the size and the 'ginger' hairs all over. But it appears that pictures are mainly of males that are hairier and much smaller, especially in O.leaiana. I found this:
"The males of both O. leaiana and O. caerulescens are extremely hard to distinguish, being about 6mm long, shining metallic green and having bright ginger hairs when fresh. The best character is microscopic: look at the downward-sloping front surface of the first gastral tergite. It is shining in O. caerulescens and matt with reticulation in O. leaiana. This means that set specimens need to be arranged in order to see this feature. The females are quite different; both are about 10mm long, but O. caerulescens is generally smaller, dark blue with a black scopa under the abdomen and O. leaiana is generally larger, dark brown, with a bright orange scopa under the abdomen." (https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/orange-vented-mason-bee)
Thanks again.
Gareth

 

[Ficedula]

Hi aeshna5

I think you are right. I discounted this due to the size and the 'ginger' hairs all over. But it appears that pictures are mainly of males that are hairier and much smaller, especially in O.leaiana. I found this:
"The males of both O. leaiana and O. caerulescens are extremely hard to distinguish, being about 6mm long, shining metallic green and having bright ginger hairs when fresh. The best character is microscopic: look at the downward-sloping front surface of the first gastral tergite. It is shining in O. caerulescens and matt with reticulation in O. leaiana. This means that set specimens need to be arranged in order to see this feature. The females are quite different; both are about 10mm long, but O. caerulescens is generally smaller, dark blue with a black scopa under the abdomen and O. leaiana is generally larger, dark brown, with a bright orange scopa under the abdomen." (https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/orange-vented-mason-bee)
Thanks again.
Gareth

Not Osmia, this is Megachile sp

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Hi Ficedula
Can you explain to me the difference between Osmia and Megachile?
Thanks
Gareth