Images

Andrena rudbeckiae, male, Kent County, Maryland, June 2012

Andrena virginiana, male, Maryland, Garrett County, July 2012

Anemone americana - Round-lobed Hepatica. At times white like this flower, but can grade all the way up to a lovely purpley blue color in other individuals. Photo and individual from Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ah, if angels were bees this would be one. However, if you were a Colletes bee you would not think so since the Angel Bee would invade your home, lay an egg, leave and later the Angel Bee baby would kill your baby and eat all your food. So life goes.

Unknown species of ant, Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming, Determination needed please.

A common spring western Andrena. More colorful than the average dark chocolate Andrena (fuscous is what the old timers would call it). Quite reddish in its integument in spots and a nice yellow clypeus as in this male. Collected in the fabulous Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

From George Washington's Birthplace comes a fall Frost Aster specialist. One of about 6 or so species that specialize on the pollen of Asters and sometimes Goldenrods, these species are uncommonly collected but likely more because people are not looking that true uncommoness. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

Another uncommon woodland Andrena. Andrena thaspii also is largely unstudied. Kelly Graninger took the picture and Ellison Orcutt caught the bee in Virginia.

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.

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.

This bee is in your garden! Have you seen it? Collected on the Tomatoes in Francisco Posada's in Laurel, Maryland

The smooth tones of an unexpected composite, Baccharis halimifolia. Photo taken by Helen Lowe Metzman in Howard County, Maryland. 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.

Persimmon Psyllid, Baeoalitriozus diospyri, collected on persimmon yesterday by Brad Seay in Davidsonville Maryland. Adult and eggs.

5X close-up of the homemade paper that made up the outside of a Bald-faced Hornet Nest here in Beltsville. I discovered the nest after getting stung when out trail running in the woods and went back to find that it was built on the ground in short vegetation. A few days later it was destroyed. Note the different colored fibers from different fiber sources.

Ctenoplectra, Unknown Blue-tailed Oil Mopping Bee, collected in Thailand by the Thailand Inventory Group for Entomological ResearchAnother Oil Mopping Bee, this an Asian one from Thailand rather than from Africa . Here is a good shot of the large scraper or comb this female has on her hind tibia.

Ctenoplectra, Unknown Blue-tailed Oil Mopping Bee, collected in Thailand by the Thailand Inventory Group for Entomological ResearchAnother Oil Mopping Bee, this an Asian one from Thailand rather than from Africa . Here is a good shot of the large scraper or comb this female has on her hind tibia.

Ceratinas occur world-wide and really have the color/form/sculpturing thing down. They are the definition of crispness and elegance in my book. Expect more to come. This one comes from another worn-torn part of the world, the Crimean peninsula, but, really, bees, the study of natural history, pretty neutral ground that all can appreciate.

Ceratinas occur world-wide and really have the color/form/sculpturing thing down. They are the definition of crispness and elegance in my book. Expect more to come. This one comes from another worn-torn part of the world, the Crimean peninsula, but, really, bees, the study of natural history, pretty neutral ground that all can appreciate.

Ceratinas occur world-wide and really have the color/form/sculpturing thing down. They are the definition of crispness and elegance in my book. Expect more to come. This one comes from another worn-torn part of the world, the Crimean peninsula, but, really, bees, the study of natural history, pretty neutral ground that all can appreciate.

Mourecotelles, Unknown Hairyeye Bee, collected in ArgentinaWhat an attractive bee, unfortunately, that is about all we can say about this species other than it is found in the western temperate regions of South America.

Unknown Beetle (Scarabidae?) from Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming, photographed in hand sanitizer in a quartz cuvette