Below are male and female Svastra aegis found in a meadow covered with blanketflowers (about 40 x 40 feet).  There were 30+ females observed flying in the area, and a handful of males.  Also noted were Melissodes communis males and females, and a few female Svastra that looked like Svastra petulca.  The male bee below measured 18 m and the females 17 mm. 

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SELECTED TRAITS OF SVASTRA AEGIS:  females:  (1) ABDOMEN:  The  band of pale hairs on T-3 narrows toward the center, is interrupted, and is set back from the rim.  T-4 lacks a well-defined band:  instead, there are two patches of pale hairs mixed with some dark hairs.  (3) The scopal hairs on the hind tibia are yellow to golden orange.   (3)  The plate below the base of each forewing is golden-orange.  Males:   (1)  The hair on the scutellum is dark, and outlined lined with white hair;  (3) The legs are covered with light hairs, with some dark hairs on the back of the basitarsi.  (3) Tergal hair bands on T2-T3 are interrupted.   There is some light hair on T5.  (4) F1 is shorter than F2.

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Florida Svastra include S. aegis, S. atripes, S. compta (an Oenother specialist), S. obliqua and S. petulca.  Only the first two were identified in a survey of bees by John Ascher et al for Alachua County.  All of the last four are easily distinguished from S. aegis by qualities of the tergal hair bands, and/or the color of hairs on the scutum and legs.

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