Groups of small black beelike insects darting around above Anthophora aggregations

In the last couple of days, there have been large groups of small, black bees or wasps darting around above a couple of areas of Anthophora aggregation. They'd occasionally duck into a small hole or a large Anthophora hole, but always seemed to come out very fast. (This is besides than the Nomada and Sphecodes poking around, and the Anthophora females coming and going.) They had some SERIOUS mandibles going on.

They were fast and hard to photograph, but with fast shutter speed and a LOT of discarded shots, I got some that are conceivably identifiable. A few of the better ones are linked here.

Looks like ONE submarginal cell?! (Frustratingly, it isn't working to link this one in and have the photo show up below, so you just have to click the link.)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74809752

A couple more with wing veins visible:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74809750
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74809749

One that shows the crazy mandibles:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74809711

Just a nice overall view:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74809748

Posted on April 22, 2021 05:21 AM by eebee eebee

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Bees (Epifamily Anthophila)

Observer

eebee

Date

April 2021

Description

This is part of a series of observations of very small bees or bee-like insects darting around above a couple of areas of Anthophora aggregation. They'd occasionally duck into a small hole or a large Anthophora hole, but always seemed to come out very fast. See https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/eebee/50010-groups-of-small-black-beelike-insects-darting-around-above-anthophora-aggregations for for more info.

Photos / Sounds

What

Bees and Apoid Wasps (Superfamily Apoidea)

Observer

eebee

Date

April 2021

Description

This is part of a series of observations of very small bees or bee-like insects darting around above a couple of areas of Anthophora aggregation. They'd occasionally duck into a small hole or a large Anthophora hole, but always seemed to come out very fast. See https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/eebee/50010-groups-of-small-black-beelike-insects-darting-around-above-anthophora-aggregations for for more info.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

eebee

Date

April 2021

Description

Some wing veins visible.

This is part of a series of observations of very small bees or bee-like insects darting around above a couple of areas of Anthophora aggregation. They'd occasionally duck into a small hole or a large Anthophora hole, but always seemed to come out very fast. See https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/eebee/50010-groups-of-small-black-beelike-insects-darting-around-above-anthophora-aggregations for for more info.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

eebee

Date

April 2021

Description

Some wing veins visible.

This is part of a series of observations of very small bees or bee-like insects darting around above a couple of areas of Anthophora aggregation. They'd occasionally duck into a small hole or a large Anthophora hole, but always seemed to come out very fast. See https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/eebee/50010-groups-of-small-black-beelike-insects-darting-around-above-anthophora-aggregations for for more info.

Comments

I am pretty sure that these are male Panurgini (panurginus?). They are definitely bees and male ones at that. Maybe they are entering holes looking for females??

Posted by m-stanton about 2 years ago

Agreed-- I should have commented here about that. Will IDed then as Paninurgus.

Posted by eebee about 2 years ago

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