Not a bumblebee

[billtils]

There have been many bee visitors lately, all of them bumblebees. This one turned up last night and is clearly not a bumble. I think it is a mining bee Andrena fuscipes but would be glad to be corrected if that is not the case. The flower is a (slightly tired) Hebe.

All C&C welcome of course - and I know about the wings

[James G]

Bill, I think you have been 'caught' much as I was a few days back. I'm pretty certain it is a Honey Bee.

if you take a look at the thread below you will see that I got myself into a similar pickle Geoff sorted me out!
....
This time Little Packington

[billtils]

Bill, I think you have been 'caught' much as I was a few days back. I'm pretty certain it is a Honey Bee.

if you take a look at the thread below you will see that I got myself into a similar pickle Geoff sorted me out!
....
This time Little Packington

You may well be correct James. I took the ID from this source. To my inexpert eye the two (honey bee and mining bee) look quite alike, and the article suggests that reliable differentiation can be made from the presence of a pollen sac on the hind legs of the honey bee, whereas the mining bee collects pollen on its hairs.

But like you, I'll wait until we hear from Geoff.

EDIT: And always bearing in mind that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence - there could be other reasons why there is no pollen sac.

[James G]

I'm sure it has no doubt as to who/what it is!

Thanks for the link to your source. It is way better than mine...

[Geoff F]

Can't see the wing veins but going by the large flat hind tibia I would be leaning towards Honey Bee.

[billtils]

More research turned up this superb site

It is indeed most probably a honey bee. It's not obvious in the image posted but another (somewhat OoF but clear enough) image reveals that the body is the wrong shape for A fuscipes.

Thanks Geoff and James.

[Wavelength]

Very nice shot

[IzzieK]

Very nice, Mark...I like it. But how do you keep those critters from flying while you shoot them?