bees

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Comment by Kate✯GO VEGAN+NOBODY GETS HURT Ⓥ on February 16, 2010 at 11:10

Hi Heather. I've been looking at my books some more, and I've changed my mind about the identity of this one on the left, with orange legs and top half of their abdomen. I now think that they're a Wasp. One of the many species of Digger Wasps I think.
I'm happy that the one on the right is an Andrenid Bee. I brought in a few photo's of some of the Andrenid Bees I've met, in case you want to see them.

Comment by Heather on February 14, 2010 at 3:01

this photo was taken at the NC botanical gardens. I wasn't sure if the orange legged one was a bee- i thought probably not but I have no knowledge about bees or wasps or any of that. I'm impressed with your knowledge on them! I also have the time and date (taken with a digital camera so it stores all that info in the jpg) I'll see what I can find :-) thanks Kate!

Comment by Kate✯GO VEGAN+NOBODY GETS HURT Ⓥ on February 13, 2010 at 16:33

Hi Heather. What a fabulous photo! I think her (or him) on the right is a kind of Andrenid Bee. I think her (or him) on the left with the orange legs and front half of their abdomen is probably a kind of Ichneumon. So one is a Bee, and the other is related to Bees. That's close enough for me. Both belong to the Order Hymenoptera which includes Bees, Wasps, Ants, Sawflies, Ichneumons, and others. In case you don't know and are interested Hymenoptera means "membrane wings".
It may be possible to find out if there's an Entomological organisation covering your area. I think they'd be interested to know that these two insects are known to be living wherever you took this photo. It would be also be useful if you have the date, or approximate date when this photo was taken. I think it's likely that it will be possible from this photo to identify them by their species, or at least by their genus. Providing ethical education to conservation groups can be an easy and low risk way to save a lot of lives. With modern photography it's so much harder for them to try to justify their murders, especially with the larger insects like these two are. It may be possible to find out if and where they're setting traps. When I contacted one of our national Entomolgical organisations and discussed photography and being ethical they told me about the problem they were having with the "Animal Rights Lunatic Fringe" who had been destroying traps (good on them!). They hadn't suspected that I was exactly the kind of person they were trying to discredit and marginalise.
Good luck and Thankyou for sharing this fantastic photo. I'd give it a ten ********** if I could. X