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Metallic blue bees?

 
Posts: 423
Location: Portlandish, Oregon
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forest garden fungi foraging
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So someone mentioned blue bees, I would love to know more. Also any other unique colored bees would be cool to hear.
 
Posts: 37
Location: Tenaha, TX
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Back home we called em dirt dobbers. Not sure if there's a technical name for them.

Is this what you're talking about?
 
steward
Posts: 3702
Location: woodland, washington
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try Osmia indeprensa. there are likely others.
 
pollinator
Posts: 1528
Location: zone 7
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Here is an image of what I call the metallic blue bees to those new to solitary bees.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Osmia_ribifloris_bee.jpg

There are many species of bees most have never known existed. The photo above is in poor light when the sun hits them right they almost glow.

My favorite plants to attract them are sages in bloom, more native bees on one plant than I've been able to find.
 
Shawn Harper
Posts: 423
Location: Portlandish, Oregon
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forest garden fungi foraging
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Ty guys, someone mentioned them in another thread, and it got my curiosity.
 
pollinator
Posts: 933
Location: France
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We have some fabulous enormous black/purple bees here that look as though they have metallic blue wings in the sunlight.

Here's a link to a picture of them (my wire for uploading my own photos is MIA at the mo) http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2006/12/31/the-tame-carpenter-bee.html
 
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Your friend was probably referring to blue orchard bees, or BOBs. They are gentle mason bees, solitary pollinators, which many orchards use because of concerns over colony collapse disorder and africanization associated with honey bees. Here is a look.
 
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These little 5mm beauties are my favourites. They pollinate up a storm and are very well mannered. Augochlora Green Metallic Bee.
DSC05704.jpg
Augochlora Green Metallic Bee
Augochlora Green Metallic Bee
 
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