CLOSED: Bee? Look at that red thing on its leg.

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Dinu Mysore, India(Zone 10a) Sep 22, 2007

Is this a bee? Seems to like Dahlia pollen and nectar. And what is that reddish thing on its leg there? I have seen such a thing with the blue-banded bee as well.

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 22, 2007

I think that may be a pollen basket, but I don't know what that insect is.

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Dinu Mysore, India(Zone 10a) Sep 23, 2007

Is that basket in-built or does pollen get stuck?

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 23, 2007

Here's something that explains it:

http://www.bumblebee.org/bodyLegs.htm

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Dinu Mysore, India(Zone 10a) Sep 23, 2007

FG,
That is very interesting and I had wondered why those have hairy or spiky legs. Thanks very much for the link. Now today I learnt something new.

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 23, 2007

I'm not exactly sure that is a pollen basket, but the leg thing looks to be the same color as the flower pollen.

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Dinu Mysore, India(Zone 10a) Sep 23, 2007

You may be right.

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tetleytuna Columbia, MO(Zone 5b) Sep 23, 2007

Thanks for the link Flygirl. I knew what the pollen basket was but not really how it worked. Also, for those among us who carry no great fear of being stung, did you know that you could "pet" a bumblebee (the fat gold and black ones) while they were working a flower and they would not be disturbed at all by it? I was told that and have tried it several times this year and it is true. They just go about their business and ignore you.

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 23, 2007

Tetley, I'll take your word for it.....lol

Dinu, that must be some sort of bee then due to the baskets, I don't think wasp have baskets. And aren't bees fuzzy and wasps aren't?

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Dinu Mysore, India(Zone 10a) Sep 23, 2007

They normally do not sting. Wasps are smooth bodied and hard looking.

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claypa West Pottsgrove, PA(Zone 6b) Sep 23, 2007

There are some fuzzy wasps

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Dinu Mysore, India(Zone 10a) Sep 23, 2007

Mmm.

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 23, 2007

Mike, you got me curious so I found one, this Velvet Ant, or Cow Killer, which really isn't an ant but a wasp and really doesn't kill cows. Names are funny:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/28212

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 23, 2007

Dinu, I think this may be your gal, Giant Honey Bee:

http://photo.bees.net/gallery/giantbees

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Dinu Mysore, India(Zone 10a) Sep 23, 2007

You are correct, FG. Will check the bugguide link later.

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