Copper Metallic Bee
S3, Male, Wing Venation
Ellura
Copper Metallic Bee
S3, Male, Legs
 
                      
Copper Metallic Bee (Leioproctus clarki)Class: Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta)
Order: Ant Bee Wasps (Hymenoptera)
Family: Colletid Bee (Bee: Colletidae)     iNaturalist Observation
Species: Copper Metallic Bee (Leioproctus clarki)
This Photo:     S1, Female, Scopa
Other name: Xmas-bauble Bee

Thank you Dr Ken Walker & Asaph (asaph01) for identifying and Dr John Ascher for confirming the id of this species for us

General Species Information:
Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA) and elsewhere
Males ~9mm long, Females a little longer at ~10mm.
The males have 13 antennal segments while the females have 12.
Note also the scopa (pollen collecting hairs) on the female legs, which are missing on the male.
We photographed 3 specimens (2f & 1m) in Jan (f), Mar (f) & Dec (m).

Copyright © 2016-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 15-Mar-2016
This species is an Australian Native Species, not listed in the SA Murray Mallee Survey of 2010.