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White-banded Digger Bee (Sleeping)

Amegilla quadrifasciata

Photo by Bernadette S
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

solitary male bee asleep; previous night to this spotting there were 3 sleeping bees lined up on the vine

Habitat:

spotted outside the front door, nearby to several large lavender plants that the bees have been foraging

Reference Links:

Amegilla quadrifasciata - Overview, Amegilla quadrifasciata

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (15)
Bernadette S
Thanks for the input, S Frazier! I would have expected blue bands but I see from your spotting that's not always the case. Could it be Amegilla quadrifasciata, which is found in Italy?
Scott Frazier
Yes, notwithstanding location, it looks like a blue-banded bee. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/17958188
Bernadette S
Interesting! I had no idea bees had different pollinating techniques. Will have to read more about bees and tomatoes!
folicallychalled
Nice shot. Quite different though, more of a honey bee look about it. Normal bees are not very good at pollinating tomatoes. Blue banded bees use a thing called 'buzz pollination', were they clamp onto a stem and vibrate. This shakes the pollen loose and causes the pollination. So it is possible that the local tomato plantations may have imported the bees. Dave
Bernadette S
Thanks for the input, Dave! Not sure about farms per se, but every home in the area grows their own tomatoes, including this one. Here's my spotting of some bees on the lavender plants: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/34575003 There was more than one type buzzing around so not sure if these are the same as this sleeping one.
folicallychalled
This just has to be a blue banded bee, Amegilla cingulata. I could not find any articles about the bees being introduced into Italy, but my bet is that there are tomato farms near where you live. Dave
injica
Megachilidae leaf cutter bee ?
Bernadette S
Thanks, Satyen and Suzanne! I had never thought about bees sleeping and so of course had to read up on it when I came across these ones.
suzmonk
Bees sleep. Don't know why I find that so surprising ... very nice photo.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Pollinating Insects of the World
Mission
Hymenoptera of the world -- bees, ants and all their friends
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2013 Best Wildlife Photo

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Photographed
PublishedJuly 25, 2013

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