Bee or Wasp?

[odona...@comcast.net]

Hopefully, someone can help me with this insect.  Bees are not my specialty.

My best guess is that it is a Megachile xylocopoides male, but the eye color seems strange.  The photo was taken at Patuxent Research Refuge, Anne Arundel County in Maryland on August 17, 2027.  It was on a fallen log, and it seemed comfortable at that spot — not what I would expect from a Megachile bee, especially during the hot part of the day.

Many thanks,

Richard Orr

[Cody Blackketter]

Looks like Tachytes guatemalensis, a Crabronid wasp. The silvery pubescence/bands you can see on the abdomen are mostly something you will see on wasps - often on the abdomen or the face below the antennae.

Male Megachile would have more fluffy hair on the body, and the wings wouldn't have orange (another wasp thing).

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[odona...@comcast.net]

Thanks for your help.  

Much appreciated,

Richard

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From: Cody Blackketter <cody.blac...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2025 6:36 AM
To: odona...@comcast.net <odona...@comcast.net>
Cc: 'Hollis Woodard' via beemonitoring <beemon...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Beemonitoring] Bee or Wasp?