Osmia Chalybea- Mason Bee… or as I call it, a blue metallic mason bee. These are bigger than the little sweat bees you see.
What trip watching these bees burrow up and down gathering up pollen! This is the best opportunity to get your macro lens out and shoot as many photos as you can!
Osmia Chalybea Bee | March 11 | Alice Mary Herden
Identifying bees can be confusing. Each classification has its own unique characteristic, behaviors, and locations in the country.
There is a close relative, Blue Orchard Bee but not located here in Florida. (Link: https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Osmia+lignaria&mobile=close&wep=0)
Links:
https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Osmia+chalybea&guide=1&flags=col2:&res=640
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Osmia_chalybea
https://bugguide.net/node/view/103986
https://bugguide.net/node/view/261275
Categories: Bees, Insects, Pollinators, Uncategorized
Florida Nature 