I was delighted to discover that right across our street is a thriving metropolis of solitary bees (my guess is Halictus EDIT: my guess was wrong! Thanks Erin! These are likely from the family Andrenidae). I was out taking some shots of these insects, when an elderly woman (from Italy I think) paused to look at what I was doing. I often get looks when photographing in public, so I explained how happy I was to see these bees right next to a community garden, and how cool it was to watch them work. She replied: “Too many bugs! Have to put down cement!”, and walked off.
I am sure the owners of this apple tree do not mind the bees!
Gorgeous natural history photos as always! Based on the presence of facial foveae, these bees appear to be in the family Andrenidae. Facial foveae are the pair of shallow, concave depressions between the eyes. In most Andrenidae and in the bees you photographed, the foveae are filled with short, dense setae. Sometimes these setae are packed with pollen. I hope this helps!
Thanks Erin! I am really not at my best when trying to ID solitary bees!