This was an aggregation of maybe 50 nests in silty soil near the slough. The entrance holes were much larger than the bees who were entering, a phenomenon I’ve never seen before. Last photo gives an overall view of the aggregation.
I suspect this is a brood-parasitic Dialictus, based on the large head and wide gena and the behavior (crawling around an aggregation of Dialictus nests https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/232129294#activity_identification_3d8e6eba-83c0-494a-abc6-6a870bf41209 )
Aggregation of nests; two different bees poking heads out of different small holes. Third photo shows area, hard-packed dirt. This drew my attention because there were piles of fairly large dirt particles, I thought might be turret bee nests, but no evidence of any large bees. There is a lot going on, including anthills and beetles moving around. The estimate of 20 nests is very rough, hard to say what is a nest and what isn’t. I did notice possible brood parasitic dialictus crawling around, seeming to be looking for nests. These had large heads and wide gena. Photos 4 and 5 are “normal” dialictus, which I assume are similar to those constructing and provisioning the nests, which are similar to L imitatum. Large-headed bee observation here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/232136231:
This was an aggregation of maybe 50 nests in silty soil near the slough. The entrance holes were much larger than the bees who were entering, a phenomenon I’ve never seen before. Last photo gives an overall view of the aggregation.
On dogbane. This is my guess based on the thick wavy setae, so don't blame AI.
on Evening Primroses, Sundrops, and Beeblossoms (Genus Oenothera), 37.8419, -118.24112
I saw a similar male here 2 years ago:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/142414326
I haven’t seen any cinctipes females in my yard yet this year, but I have on multiple occasions in the past.
on liatris
on liatris
Screenshot
Keyed out using Engler et al. (2024)
On Linaria