Ready or not, here I come!

"Wait, can you slow down a bit?" I ask. "I can't focus when you move so fast!"

No, sorry! I'm in a hurry!

Anthophora urbana, a solitary, ground-nesting bee, frequents our garden to forage on the catmint (Nepeta) and lavender (Lavandula). This bee is also called an urbane digger bee (see BugGuide.net).

This one encountered a honey bee, partly obscured by the foliage, but neither seemed bothered.

California is home to more than 1600 wild bees, including A. urbana, according to the University of California-authored book, California Bees and Blooms: A Guide for Gardeners and Naturalists (Heyday). They "populate and pollinate our gardens, fields, and urban green spaces," the authors say. 

That they do. And there's a very good reason why this bee is photographed more often on flowers than in flight. 

Sorry, I'm in a hurry!