Bee experts? What kind of bees are these?

[silkiechicken]

They both seem a bit different? The second one w/o antenna looking like a bee colored fly?

 

[simple life]

There are a few strains of honeybees out there along with the other types of bees.
They definitely look different. I want to say the first one looks like an Italian Honeybee.
I am just getting into beekeeping and have read several books on it but I am by no means an expert.
I could venture a guess on both of them, but Reinbeau will be home from Maine later tonight or tomorrow and she, being the resident beekeeper here will probably have a more educated answer.

 

[silkiechicken]

Thanks!

I'm beginning to think the second is a fly. It only has two wings... the bee above has 4. If they both pollinate, I'm happy with them!

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

I really can't make an educated guess as to the species of bee the first one is. I can't remember that many details from my Entomology studies (I was more interested in butterflies and moths).

The second however, is definitely a species of hover fly (or drone fly). I'm guessing Eristaline sp. but can't say specifically which species.

Either way, they are both good for the garden!

And I'm sure Reinbeau will be on to elaborate more.

 

[Beekissed]

Could it "bee" a mason bee?

 

[simple life]

Could bee

I was thinking that the second one looked like a drone only I know they don't usually leave the hive except to mate with the queen or when its the time of year that they get booted out,so they wouldn't be harvesting like a worker bee would.
But you mention a drone fly which would make sense.

 

[silkiechicken]

I found this site, whatsthatbug.com, and emailed them the pic. This is their reply:


Your fly is a Drone Fly, Eristalis tenax, one of the Syrphid Flies in
the family Syrphidae. We were surprised to read on BugGuide that this
is an introduced species dating back to before 1874. The larvae, known
at Rat Tailed Maggots live in stagnant water.

So the majority has identified it as a drone fly! It polinates and thus is my friend... but where are these pools of stagnant water!

 

[Reinbeau]

Well, the fly question is settled, I have just got back to TEG - long day teaching yesterday!

The bee in the first picture is much darker than our honeybees, even the dark carniolans, which makes me think it's one of the small bumble bees. There are so many of them I have no idea what specific one it is. Those yellow joints are typical of bumbles, also.

 

[silkiechicken]

So many types of bees! I'm just happy they are around. Sometimes I wonder how bumble bees, the large type, can get arround. I just had to laugh when I was watching one try to drink nectar from this tiny set of flowers and each time it landed, the flower would droop and he'd hid the leaves/ground. LOL

 

[country freedom]

That wanna-be-a-bee "bee" isn't a bee at all. Hoverfly is what it's called-harmless.