Bee species identification

[Leonard Poxon]

Can anyone positively identify the Bee in the photograph below, found on the hillside at White Coppice on 31.05.20. My best estimation is a leaf-cutter Bee, possibly (Megachile ligniseca (f))

50023550348_118bb0bb21_c.jpg (139.82 KiB) Viewed 527 times

[Janice Sutton]

Think it's the related species, Len. Megachile centuncularis, the female is separated from similar ones by the orange pollen brush under the abdomen.

[Leonard Poxon]

Thanks Janice, that looks spot-on.

[paul b]

Interestingly Falk gives the flight season is "Mid June to September" -the warmth of the Spring (until recently!) has apparently encouraged many species to fly and breed a couple of weeks early.