Two bees

[LordV]

Never seen the first bee before- spotted it a few days ago- extremely nervous little thing- this is the closest I've managed so far.
Brian V.

Click on Pics for larger size

Nomada bee probably Nomada fabriciana about 8mm body length

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/247/443866333_4b325a369d.jpg (http://farm1.static.flickr.com/247/443866333_53a679ec66_o.jpg)

Cuddly bee :) ID'd as Andrena nitida

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/443875608_f2595db83e.jpg (http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/443875608_c62ad699b6_o.jpg)

[::Lisa::]

:lol: Love the 'cuddly' bee.

Hmm those first bee. Sorry I'm not a bug expert or anything. I've seen something same or simular in hot countries, especially Greece.

Seen a few over here but only when it's been really hot and the ones I've seen tend to have been aggressive, maybe something simular looking but a wasp?

[Birdmanc]

Both are great shots Brian! I also thought the first one was a wasp, but realy don't know much on the subject.

[LordV]

Thanks for looking and commenting Lisa and Jeff.
Nomada bees do look like wasps. The only other type I spotted last year looks even more like a wasp- I spent quite a while trying to ID it as a type of wasp until someone told me it was a bee. See pic below- this one is a lot bigger and not so shy.
Brian V.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/135546129_fa06170324.jpg

[dpastern]

Good shots Brian, that first Bee sure looks weird, never seen anything like it!

Dave

[bandit 1]

Hiya Brian,

Excellent shots, never seen the like of #1 before.

Cheers for now
Mark

[LordV]

Thanks Dave and Mark :) Still trying to get a closer shot of the bee in #1- they are very skittish. Not sure what's going on but this was taken on my favourite Winter bug shrub- a camelia bush that gets a lot of sun (and needs some chelated iron/magnesium) but there is a constant to and froing of bees, beeflies, wasps many of which fight each other off. It's a bit like waiting for buses- get nothing then a whole group of interesting bugs appear at once. Only problem is that the leaves are very shiny which makes shooting difficult.
Brian V.

[dpastern]

That #1 Bee almost looks wasp like with the body sections, and even the antennae look wasp like...it looks like it has lovely eyes as well, pity it was skittish :(

Dave

[LordV]

That #1 Bee almost looks wasp like with the body sections, and even the antennae look wasp like...it looks like it has lovely eyes as well, pity it was skittish :(

Dave
Dave you are right about the eyes- just about the only UK bee I've seen so far that has pale coloured marked eyes. I've watched these things without trying to get close to them and they only seem to settle for about 3 seconds in any one place before they are off again, so I'm not sure it's me scaring them off. Still gives me a challenge :)
Brian V.

[Dalantech]

Nice captures Brian!

We have a similar small bee here -but I haven't managed to get close to it either. Try going out right after it rains -sometimes a sudden drop in temperature will slow them down. I shoot more bees during the early spring than any other time of the year -just catch them as a storm is rolling in or going out...

[LindaB]

Great shots Brian.

Nice to see some different ones. We have a fair selection of bees around our garden, but I cannot even begin to try and ID and name them. I will be glad when this wind subsides as its making photographing insects very difficult indeed.

Linda

[LordV]

Nice captures Brian!

We have a similar small bee here -but I haven't managed to get close to it either. Try going out right after it rains -sometimes a sudden drop in temperature will slow them down. I shoot more bees during the early spring than any other time of the year -just catch them as a storm is rolling in or going out...
Thanks John :)
Just managed to get some closer shots- will post them later ;)
Brian V.

[LordV]

Great shots Brian.

Nice to see some different ones. We have a fair selection of bees around our garden, but I cannot even begin to try and ID and name them. I will be glad when this wind subsides as its making photographing insects very difficult indeed.

Linda

Thanks Linda- last year I thought I only got two types of bee in the garden (honey bees and bumble bees) after snapping about 16 different types began to realise how wrong I was.
One nice thing about Flickr is there are a couple of bee experts about who often ID the bees for me (assuming you post them in the right group). Just to show what I mean- just noticed one of them (Nigel Jones) has ID'd #2 as Andrena nitida :)
Brian V.

[Dalantech]

One nice thing about Flickr is there are a couple of bee experts about who often ID the bees for me (assuming you post them in the right group). Just to show what I mean- just noticed one of them (Nigel Jones) has ID'd #2 as Andrena nitida :)
Brian V.

What's the group Brian? I'd like to get a few of mine ID'd.

[LordV]

What's the group Brian? I'd like to get a few of mine ID'd.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/wild_bees/

[Dalantech]

http://www.flickr.com/groups/wild_bees/

Thanks!

[red hot sheep]

Love the second one!