CLOSED: Need help to ID tiny bee(?) in North Texas

Richardson, TX

I took some shots of this insect on some blooming chives this morning. At first I thought it was an ant while I was shooting, it's very, very tiny. The width of the opened blossoms is a little less than a half-inch. I don't think it's a honey bee since the yellow stripes are missing, also the wings are iridescent reminding me of a hoverfly. The coloration of the head and body is very dark, and the head looks bee-shaped but is shiny black without hair/fur on it. I'm stumped! My zipcode is 75082 if that helps, Richardson TX. Thanks!

Thumbnail by mle_flowers Thumbnail by mle_flowers Thumbnail by mle_flowers
Minot, ND

It is one of the native species of solitary bees, possibly a small carpenter bee in the genus Ceratina - see https://pbase.com/tmurray74/image/111573133 for an example. Some bees in the family Halictidae (sweat bees) can be very similar, but their bodies are hairier - see https://pbase.com/tmurray74/image/51787222 for an example.

This message was edited Aug 26, 2020 10:54 AM

Richardson, TX

Thanks, much appreciated!

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