Some Pollinators in Sumatra
Almost all insects in the order Hymenoptera, including bees and wasps, are pollinators whose main food source is nectar and flower pollen. Here I have collected several photos of bees and wasps found in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia.
A leafcutter bee (Megachile sp.) was perched on a grass flower. These images were captured in one afternoon. The bee's physical characteristics can be identified by: it has moss green compound eyes; its head and back have thick, golden hair; and a black abdomen with golden bands and orange fur on the underside of the abdomen.
The leafcutter bee has a habit of biting the grass stems where it perches, and you will often find it cutting the leaves into small pieces. The leaves will be taken to a place where they will build their nest.
The potter wasp was also taken one afternoon in a grassy area. This appears to be a species belonging to the genus Odynerus. It has the following characteristics: It has compound black eyes, yellow jaws (very similar to a bird's beak), yellow legs, a black thorax with yellow markings on the back, and a black abdomen with yellow bands.
On this one, there was no sign that it was still alive, as it didn't move at all. It was a male Dielis dorsata, known as a scoliid wasp (family Scoliidae). It has a long, yellow abdomen with black bands. They commonly live in small colonies, although in some cases, they live solitary lives.