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Megachile?
Location: Hawthorne, California
December 10, 2010 6:27 pm
Just wondering if I have this bee correctly identified. If you can tell me what the other two guys are on the bloom in one of the photos, I’d be most appreciative.
Signature: Thanks, Anna

Leaf Cutting Bee

Hi Anna,
There is a good chance that your bee is a Leaf Cutting Bee in the genus Megachile.  This is a genus that has been split into numerous subgenera, as evidences by the taxonomy on bugGuide.

Ed. Note: May 21, 2011
Now is one of those times that being more aware of insect anatomy and not making identifications based on superficial visual identifications would come in handy.  We no longer believe this is a Leaf Cutter Bee.  We don’t believe any Leaf Cutter Bees gather pollen on their legs.  It looks like this native Bee is gathering pollen on its legs, or perhaps it just has long yellow hairs on its legs.  We wish someone would write in and give us a clear cut explanation of what species of Bee this is.  I am going to include more native Bees in my Theodore Payne Foundation talk on Saturday, 28 May, 2011 at 1:00 PM.

Probably Plant Bugs with Leaf Cutting Bee

We believe the tiny Hemipterans in your photo are probably Plant Bugs in the family Miridae, but your photo isn’t detailed enough to provide any tangible evidence toward that speculation.  According to Bugguide, Plant Bugs in the family Miridae are usually “adults 2-15 mm.“

Quite Possibly a Plant Bug

Update from Anna:  August 20, 2011
Hi Daniel,
I finally got an answer from Steve Thoenes:
“I asked my friend Steve Buchmann and he wrote  the top one (on pink flower) is an Anthophora female, not sure of the  species.”
Hope this is of some help,

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