Male, foraging on a planted Salvia. Caught and chilled to get better photos, then released
Picture 1 right: Agapostemon splendens. Picture 1 left: unknown Agapostemon recently found in Florida. Note size difference.
Other observations of this species:
Visual Description: This bee was approximately 1 inch long. Its black tinted/translucent wings were semi equal in length to the rest of the body. The head, legs, and partial body were black while the rest was yellow and had a black tip toward the abdomen. Fuzz or “pile” covered its whole body.
Defining characteristics: This organism is a protostome. They are hairy and are usually distinguishable by the black and yellow colored bands on their bodies. They are typically a bit larger than other bee types (e.g. honey bees).
Habitat: This bee was found collecting some pollen/nectar from a flower in Lettuce Lake Park. These common organisms are found in most areas of North America.
Reference: https://flawildflowers.org/know-your-native-pollinators-bumble-bees/
This is the third time I have seen these. They appear to be some sort of Agapostemon not previously recorded from Florida. I have also noticed a few iNat observations of them (linked) and am wondering how I could try to key them to species? I have lots of other angles if necessary for ID. There were dozens together in a flower bed.
Here are the other observations that I believe to be the same species:
On Geranium, very small < 5 mm might be small stingless bees.
Observaciones: Eran aprox 10 ejemplares de la misma especie. Compartían el pequeño brazo de arroyo junto a libélulas y Apis melífera.
Pupa or larva observed hanging out of a southern carpenter bee nest. The branch in which the bee is nesting is shown in the third picture. Pictures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are of the adult bee in the nest. The adult is nesting in the dead branch of a dying mango tree. It returns to the nest many times a day. The nest is about 28 feet from another Xylocopa micans nest and there are multiple other X. micans and X. virginica in the area. The nest is about 8 feet high.
I believe she was digging into the wood to make a home.
this bee was peeling off bark and sticking it to its legs with some substance.
Per Dr. Doug Yanega, this may be a mosaic gynandromorph, based on atypical clypeus coloration. He suspects that female tissue borders the male tissue on the clypeus. FYI, @johnascher @liquidanbar @sambiology
Found this bee climbing on a lichen covered twig within the boulders at Garden of the Gods Recreational Area
Abeja Nativa (Epiclopus sp.) pecoreando flores de Zarzamora.
(*): Clasificado por johnascher .
Bee, Order Hymenoptera. Documented along Ortega OHV Trail in Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County, California, USA. Note: May be a wasp
Great Basin Bumble Bee, Bombus centralis?, Order Hymenoptera. Documented along Ortega OHV Trail in Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County, California, USA. Note: This may not be correct species as map does not show them this far south.
Homalictus punctatus on Cherry Ballart at Browns Reserve Greensborough Vic
Single male. @liquidanbar
Collecting damp mud from margin of a pan.
Also on the margin of the pan were 'look-alike' flies. See: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19066439