An obvious divider is visible on the back and the face.
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:
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.
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
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