Marsh Aster and visitor

Description:

Unknown bee visiting what we used to call Aster hesperius but which is now known by the somewhat unwieldly name Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. hesperium. Marsh aster is simpler! Some other common names for this native forb include Western lined aster and Siskiyou aster. The ray flowers are about 10 mm long. This was a small (but not tiny) bee.August 2, 2014, Salt Lake County, Utah, growing with Euthamia occidentalis, elev. 4,335 ft., wet meadow/marsh.