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Observed a few Pseudomasaris edwardsii wasps gathering pollen from Branching Phacelia (Phacelia ramosissima) flowers for their offspring. This seems to be a female as the antennae is short, not reaching scutum.

"The female wasp anchors her egg by its posterior tip to the bottom of the cell, deposits a jellylike cylindrical provision composed of Phacelia pollen and nectar, that is constructed as a cell cap.

"Pseudomasaris edwardsii pollen wasps lead solitary lives, gathering pollen and nectar from flowers to feed their offspring. Behavior aside, the clubbed antennae on pollen wasps (or masarid wasps) and other details distinguish them from yellowjackets.

These Masarid wasps are also sensitive, as their fate tied to very specific plants to gather pollen to provision their larvae. Pseudomasaris edwardsii appears to favor hydrophphylaceae plants. These wasps has been observed foraging on a member of this family that loves hot, arid places, silverleaf phacelia and around where branching phacelia grow. Where their forage plants are not available, pollen wasps can not live."

Observed this Pseudomasaris edwardsii wasp gathering pollen from Phacelia flowers. This seems to be a male as the antennae looks long enough to reach the scutum.

"Pseudomasaris edwardsii pollen wasps lead solitary lives, gathering pollen and nectar from flowers to feed their offspring. Behavior aside, the clubbed antennae on pollen wasps (or masarid wasps) and other details distinguish them from yellowjackets.

These Masarid wasps are also sensitive, as their fate tied to very specific plants to gather pollen to provision their larvae. Pseudomasaris edwardsii appears to favor hydrophphylaceae plants. These wasps has been observed foraging on a member of this family that loves hot, arid places, silverleaf phacelia and around where branching phacelia grow. Where their forage plants are not available, pollen wasps can not live."

I stepped on a Buffalo Gourd flower, and heard the buzzing of what turned out to be Squash Bee resting in a closed Buffalo Gourd flower. Being somewhat stunned the bee climbed out of the flower allowing me to take a few photos before flying away.
Note in the first two photos that the Clypeus with the upper margin shows yellow on the base of the mandibles, whereas the similar squash bee Peponapis pruinosa, does not have this feature.

"Squash bees pollinate the sprawling Buffalo Gourd plants. Since the flowers bloom at night, that is when the squash bees are active. Squash bees only live about a year. The adults emerge in the late spring or early summer and die in the fall. Most of their life is spent underground.

Females live near the vines, alone in burrows they dig, emerging to visit the flowers in the evening. When the egg hatches, the larva eats the pollen that its mother left for it. The larva spends the winter as what’s called a prepupa. In the spring, it pupates into an adult and emerges from its underground home. Male bees head for the flowers in the morning, finding a place to sleep as the blooms wilt and close. Hoping for female companions, many perch sentry-like inside the flower."

More information at> https://www.backyardecology.net/squash-bees/

Observed a few of these Squash Bees resting at the bottom of the large Buffalo Gourd flowers. The great rainy season this year has caused numerous Buffalo Gourd Cucurbita foetidissima plants to grow in this area.

"Squash bees pollinate the sprawling Buffalo Gourd plants. Since the flowers bloom at night, that is when the squash bees are active. Squash bees only live about a year. The adults emerge in the late spring or early summer and die in the fall. Most of their life is spent underground.

Females live near the vines, alone in burrows they dig, emerging to visit the flowers in the evening. When the egg hatches, the larva eats the pollen that its mother left for it. The larva spends the winter as what’s called a prepupa. In the spring, it pupates into an adult and emerges from its underground home. Male bees head for the flowers in the morning, finding a place to sleep as the blooms wilt and close. Hoping for female companions, many perch sentry-like inside the flower."

More information at> https://www.backyardecology.net/squash-bees/

Observed a few of these Squash Bees resting at the bottom of the large Buffalo Gourd flowers. The great rainy season this year has caused numerous Buffalo Gourd Cucurbita foetidissima plants to grow in this area. The blooms have attracted numerous Squash Bees.

"Squash bees pollinate the sprawling Buffalo Gourd plants. Since the flowers bloom at night, that is when the squash bees are active. Squash bees only live about a year. The adults emerge in the late spring or early summer and die in the fall. Most of their life is spent underground.

Females live near the vines, alone in burrows they dig, emerging to visit the flowers in the evening. When the egg hatches, the larva eats the pollen that its mother left for it. The larva spends the winter as what’s called a prepupa. In the spring, it pupates into an adult and emerges from its underground home. Male bees head for the flowers in the morning, finding a place to sleep as the blooms wilt and close. Hoping for female companions, many perch sentry-like inside the flower."

More information at> https://www.backyardecology.net/squash-bees/