Images

Andrena species, Black-tipped Andrena, specimen collected by Jason Gibbs in OmanEvolution has blessed the genus Andrena with over 1500 different species, making it the second richest of all bee genera (Hairy-tongue Bees, Lasioglossum, are first).

Andrena perplexa - This is a male from Talbot County, Maryland, long thin mandibles, wide cheeks and a big for an Andrena. Common in woodland areas, like so many of the Andrena. Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200.

Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 200mm Pentax-m with Nikon 10X infinity microscope objective lens mounted on front , Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.6, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200.USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos

Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 200mm Pentax-m with Nikon 10X infinity microscope objective lens mounted on front , Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.6, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200.USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos

Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 200mm Pentax-m with Nikon 10X infinity microscope objective lens mounted on front , Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.6, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200.USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos

A little male mining bee about the size of a grain of rice. Andrena personata is something I associate with sparse fields, not so much lawns. My guess that the usual lawn weeds don't have the right mix of patriotically native flower species it is looking for. Kind of pixie like, is what I want to say.

Sexy Andrena. Yes, the normally black Andrena does have some sexy species. Here is one of my favorites. Andrena prunorum jacketed in amber with ribbing of white fur...or something like that. A common western species that leaked just enough out of the West to show up in Badlands National Park where we were studying the bee fauna of the Park.

Andrena robertsonii - A little bit tricky to identify, but a bee I associate with taller blooming things such as Blackberrries, shrub hollies, and sumacs. Sumacs are definitely an underrated bee plant.

This specimen was shot upside down and then inverted in photoshop to see what it would look like in terms of lighting. Its not bad, but I think I prefer the lighting coming more predominantly from above.

Connecticut, Tracy Zarillo collector

Andrena specularia - This is a prairie bee. I know that because it is from North Dakota and there are no records that I know of east of the Mississippi River. In fact, there are no legit records outside of North Dakota. Other than the mysterious Turtle Mountains, ND is all about prairie. I would like to propose that this become the state's bee.

Various Andrena, adding to the catalog....most with bad hair. Sigh.

Rare Bee Alert. Andrena uvulariae was described many years ago from specimens collected where I work in Beltsville, MD and then...it largely went off the radar screen as a legit species and all things that looked like this species were simply called A. ziziaformis.

Rare Bee Alert. Andrena uvulariae was described many years ago from specimens collected where I work in Beltsville, MD and then...it largely went off the radar screen as a legit species and all things that looked like this species were simply called A. ziziaformis.

Ah, Andrena vicina one of several Andrena or mining bees that feed their babies almost entirely the pollen of blueberries. This large, honey bee sized Andrena is noteworthy for the dark pollen carrying hairs on its legs.

Various Andrena, adding to the catalog....most with bad hair. Sigh.

Connecticut, Tracy Zarillo Collector

Echinacea. This medicinal plant is widely planted and tinkered with by gardeners and breeders. But, it really is a prairie species and when in its habitat, like the Badlands, big bees like to forage on it. Hey, look, here's one in this picture! Andrena helianthiformis. I suppose this means "looks like A. helianthus, but...is not" in Latin.

This large Andrena of the prairies is a specialist bee on Sunflowers as one can see from the name. Captured in Badlands National Park and Photograph Taken by Aaman MengisCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

This large Andrena of the prairies is a specialist bee on Sunflowers as one can see from the name. Captured in Badlands National Park and Photograph Taken by Aaman MengisCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

Maryland, Anne Arundel County