For the most part, I do not collect specimens for identification. I carry out most of my documentation with photographs. Unfortunately, most insects are very difficult to ID beyond family, sub-family or Genus with images alone. For this reason, at times I will choose to collect specimens of certain groups of insects.
For over a year I collected bees in the GNG for future classification by an expert. I was fortunate enough to meet Krystle Hickman, who in turn connected me with Dr. Douglas Yanega at the Entomology Research Museum at University of California Riverside. Dr. Yanega was generous with his time and evaluated my 35 collected bee specimens.
The results were better than I had hoped for. Dr. Yanega was able to identify 23 bees to Genus and 11 to species, ultimately adding 18 new native bees to our Gardens species list!
Examining my specimens under a microscope.
Comparing my specimens to those in the Entomology Research Museum’s collection.
65 bee species documented as of July 2024
Sweat bee - Halibuts tripartitus ♀
Sweat bee - Halibuts ligatus ♀
Sweat bee - Lasioglossum sp.
Sweat bee - Lasioglossum dialictus
Tansy mustard sweat bee - Lasioglossum sisymbrii
Oval-headed sweat bee - Lasioglossum ovaliceps sp.
Rhus fairy bee - Perdita rhois ♂♀
Slevin’s cellophane bee - Colletes slevini
Mesilla masked bee - Hylaeus mesillae ♂♀
Buckwheat masked bee - Hylaeus polifolii
Mason bee - Osmia Subgenus Melanosmia sp.
Mason bee- Subfamily Megachilinae sp.
Mason bee - Dianthidium sp.
Mason bee - Ashmeadiella sp.
Mason bee - Osmia sp.
Small mason bee - Hoplitis - Subgenus Proteriades sp.
Small mason bee - Hoplitis Subgenus Alcidamea sp.
Sonoran bumble bee - Bombus sonorus ♀
Yellow-faced bumble bee - Bombus vosnesenskii ♀
Black-tailed bumble bee - Bombus melanopygus ♂♀
Anthophorine bee - Anthophora californica
Anthophorine bee - Anthophora curta
Mining bee - Panurginus sp.
Cherry plum miningbee - Andrena cerasifolii
Lonely mining bee - Andrena sola
Mining bee - Andrena sp. “a”
Mining bee - Andrena sp. “b”
Mining bee - Andrena sp. “c”
Baker’s phacelia-shortface bee - Conanthalictus bakeri
Short-faced bee - Dufourea sp.
Digger bee - Habropoda depress
Urbane digger bee - Anthophora urbana ♀
California mountain-digger bee - Habropoda depressa
Dimorphic mountain-digger bee - Habropoda tristissima
Bindweed turret bee - Diadasia bituberculata
Chimney bee - Diadasia bituberculata
Ochraceous chimney bee - Diadasia ochracea
Chimney bee - Diadasia Subgenus Coquillettapis sp.
Chimney bee - Diadasia sp.
Green metallic bee - Agapostemon sp. “a”
Green metallic bee - Agapostemon sp. “b”
Long-horned digger bee - Melissodes sp.
Long-horned bee - Eucera sp.
Longhorn bee - Melissodes robustior ♂♀
Tripartite furrow bee - Halictus tripartitus
Ligated furrow bee - Halictus ligatus ♂
Furrow bee - Halictus confusus
Leaf-cutter bee - Megachile frugalis
Leaf-cutter bee - Megachile Subgenus Chelostomoides sp. ♀
Western little leaf-cutter bee - Megachile onobrychidis ♂♀
California resin-leafcutter bee - Trachusa perdita
Pebble bee - Dianthidium Subgenus Dianthidium sp.
Resin bee - helostoma californicum
Armored-resin bee - Heriades Subgenus Neotrypetes sp.
Valley carpenter bee - Xylocopa varipuncta ♂♀
Horsefly-like carpenter bee - Xylocopa tabaniformis orpifex ♂♀
Foothill carpenter bee - Xylocopa tabaniformis ssp. orpifex ♂♀
California carpenter bee - Xylocopa californica
Small carpenter bee - Ceratina Subgenus Zadontomerus ♀
Small carpenter bee - Ceratina arizonensis
Small carpenter bee - Ceratina acantha
California digger-cuckoo bee - Brachymelecta californica sp.
Nomad bee - Nomada sp.
Blood bee - Sphecodes sp.
European “Western” honey bee - Apis mellifera -- non-native♂♀