Images

The male of a relatively new introduced species from Japan. Likes to nest in adobe walls of buildings and underneath decks. Photoshopping by Thistle Droege and Photography by Brooke Alexander.

Unknown Cerambycid beetle, from Laurel Maryland collected in June by Francisco Posada

You probably have this problem. You get a specimen in, but it covered in gunk and its hairs are all matted. What do you do? Well, I think we have finally figured it out. Here is a specimen of Bombus rufocinctus caught by the state of Pennsylvania in some kind of dry trap, covered in moth scales and gook. Then, it gets a new look at the USGS BEEauty salon.

Here is a lovely black and red seed. Photographed on the cut tip of a pin. Sadly, I do not have a record of the seed's name, so any help with this distinct specimen would be appreciated. This seed came from a 100 year old collection of seeds used as reference by the old Bureau of Biological Survey.

Agrotis ipsilon - Black Cutworm - Another major crop pest. This species moves into northern parts of North America after overwintering in Texas and Mexico and then pulls off a couple of generations in weedy fields and particularly impacting newly planted corn. Yet another pest that looks rather beautiful when viewed up close.

Jessica Zelt found this small Blue-gray Gnatcatcher nest from the previous season on the ground at the Beltsville Agriculture Research Center a few days ago. How beautifully made of lichens, hair and spiderwebs. Photograph by Hannah Sutton. 100mm Canon used, with Zerene Stacking software.

A very large Chrysidid Wasp from Kruger National Park, species unknown, Anders Croft photographer.

Found in a bowl trap at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, this is Bolbocerosoma tumefactum, a rather handsome dung beetle that doesn't eat dung.

Still Here. I think this is big news and a big deal. T'ai Roulston and his identification triggerman Skyler Burrows stopped by the lab this week to work on some tricky bee ids and brought this Bombus affinis in from Sky Meadows State Park at the edge of the Blue Ridge in N. Virginia to have its picture taken.

What a lovely female Anthidium manicatum from Massachusetts. This species is a non-native species that has successfully invaded much of the Eastern parts of North America, in particular it is fond of ornamental gardens containing furry leaved plants which it uses to line its nest.

A gynandromorph is a bee that exhibits characteristics of both sexes. In the other two species (Lasioglossum and Bombus) the split was bilateral..one side male and the other, female. In this Anthidium oblongatum (an introduced species) almost the entire bee is female with the apparent exception of having a seventh abdominal segment and genitalia.

Antidium porterae....we recently uploaded somem pictures of the male and here, now, is the female. Collected in Hildalgo County, NM by an A. Melin. Note on the side shot the belly full of pollen attached to the pollen collecting hairs located there.

Anthidiums...in this case A. porterae....pretty spiffy very toothy (in the female) thick, direct flying marked in patterns of yellow over black. What is not to like. This one was collected in the boot heel of New Mexico by C.C. Nicholson. Pictures by Miss Elizabeth Garcia.

A small cute bee from Costa Rica. Collected by Tim Mcmahon on one of his several bee trips to that country. I can't scrounge up much about these hole nesters from Central and South America, but likely there are Brazilian papers out on the topic.

Male, this fun species nests in the walls of my adobe walled house where it aggregates in large numbers where the adobe is thickest. They create small dropping tunnels at that project out from wall ...function unknown.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Anthophora bomboides. Fuzzy . Faking the bumble bee look to fool birds into thinking they can sting like a bumble bee. Here is one from San Juan Island in Washington State. This species occurs throughout the continent....but....its look differs across that huge geographic range. Are they more than one species or not? Does anyone care? You?

Collected by Heather Campbell in the Sandhills of North Carolina

Serapista species , Unknown Pillow Bee, collected in South Africa by Laurence PackerThe zebra-like markings on this bee are diagnostic, the white stripes are formed from blade like brilliant white hairs that are particularly beautiful when viewed under high magnification. This genus forms a small group of four species found only in Africa.

Euaspis , Redtail, collected in Kenya by Laurence PackerRedtails are another home invader of other bee 's nests. However, Redtails have a different strategy than most Cuckoo Bees. Instead of dropping an egg in the nest cell while the host bee is away, they wait until the nest of a Lithurgus or Megachile bee is complete and sealed and the female has left.