Images

From the sand pits of Anne Arundel County Maryland comes this small Andrena, Andrena nubecula. Photographed by Brooke Alexander.

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.

Male Andrena bees can be difficult to identify. Particularly complicated and confusing are the subgenus Melandrena. Here is a member of that subgenus....A. pruni. However!

Andrena fragilis, male, Cecil County, Maryland, June 2012

Andrena gardineri, Maryland, Garrett County, May 2012

Maryland

Andrena miserabilis, showing sharp pronotal corners

Andrena nigrihirta, female, Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

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

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

This is picture 3 from a 12 picture invited series by Matt Buffington at the USDA Parastitic Hymentoptera group using specimens from the U.S. Natural History Museum Smithsonian. Matt uses a system very similar to ours to photograph and stack this super tiny wasp.As majestic as the Golden State itself,we present Andricus quercuscalifornicus.

Anisodactylus haplomus. The third and final new state beetle record from Cove Point, Calvert County Maryland. Another carabid beetle collected by Brent Steury. 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.

There is something about the oily iridescence of these spider wasps that I find particularly attractive, the light has to hit the wings just right, like in this picture, and the subtly brewed stained glass opalescence that come through are impossible to replicate Collected on the Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba, photographed by Aaman MengisCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Sta

Collected on the Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba, photographed by AamanCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Photographer: Sam Droege, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

Collected on the Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba, photographed by AamanCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Photographer: Sam Droege, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

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

Andrena wellesleyana is one of the many Andrena species. It is also one of a number of species where the males have extensive yellow on their faces while the females are completely black. I the bulk of species both males and females have black faces.

Andrena wheeleri - closely related to A. nasonii. Not very common, northern and Appalachian. Would be nice to know more about its role in the world. Photograph by Erick Hernandez. Bee collected by Ellison Orcutt in his studies of the bees of Virginia.

Andrena wheeleri - closely related to A. nasonii. Not very common, northern and Appalachian. Would be nice to know more about its role in the world. Photograph by Erick Hernandez. Bee collected by Ellison Orcutt in his studies of the bees of Virginia.

Andrena ziziaformis meaning ... of the form of zizia...meaning kind of like Andrena zizia....which means the Andrena bee that collects the pollen of the plant Zizia...aka... Golden Alexanders. This little, tiny Andrena male has wonderful example of WIPS, wing interference patterns that show up in small Hymenoptera of many kinds. Photograph by Brooke Alexander.