Images

Yet another deer fly that tried to bite me while running...note the lovely dark integument or skin on this one nicely contrasting its lovely purple flickr eyes

Small Fuzzy Diadaasia diminuta. This little fur ball, is a globe mallow specialist. I am too tired after trying to beat back invasives all day in the yard to say any more. A lovely day though all the bees finally are emerging, including my first queen bumbles. The little poofs are from Badlands National Park in South Dakota.

Oh look, here is the female Diadasia rinconis. We featured the relatively fuzzy male recently and you can see that the branched pollen collecting hairs on this specimen have a few stray cactus pollen balls stuck in there. Such lovely bees really. Collected by Don Harvey. Someone in the lab took the picture BUT FORGOT TO FILL OUT THE SPREADSHEET, for the shots.

In full bloom this is more of a lavender/blue flower, but not one that people pay much mind to. Diodia teres, often called Poorjoe, is a plant associated with highly disturbed, often sandy dry sites. Does well, I have collected bees off it, but not enough to make much of a study of it. This specimen was collected and photographed by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Here is a 2 picture series of persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) flowers. Some trees are male (staminate) and some are female (pistilate). The easy to come by literature of the web searchers says they are pollinated by insects and the wind. I have never collected off them (too high up and am guessing not super attractive to bees).

The male flowers of the local persimmon tree (Diospyros virginiana). This does not seem to be much of a bee tree in terms of pollen and nectar use by bees, given that male and female trees are separate, there must be wind or other transport for pollination. Specimen and pictures by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Condylostylus near caudatus, Long-legged fly, Dolichopodid, shot suspended in hand sanitizer, Maryland, Price George's County, Sciapodinae? Det provided by Flickr user Vox Sciurorum.

Ophiogomphus susbehcha, collected by Richard Orr along the Potomac River, super rare snaketail species

Drepanaporus collaris, Dominican Republic, La Vega, determination by Pompilid guru Juanita Rodriguez

Drepanaporus collaris, Dominican Republic, La Vega, determination by Pompilid guru Juanita Rodriguez

Isle Royale, Michigan

Isle Royale, Michigan

Isle Royale, Michigan

Isle Royale, Michigan

Eastern Hercules Beetle, Female, Old, Found on the Ground, Scarred, Dirty, Ancient, Maryland, Dynastes tityus, Grubs live in rotten logs, HUGE. Found by Jessica Zelt while going on a walk. Pictures by Amanda Robinson.

Dominican Republic - Common on flowers November 2012 -Dysdercus ocreatus; identified by Tom Henry, many thanks

I think many people think of cacti as icons, something made for us to look at, but since we rarely use cacti for anything and because their fleshy shapes and lifestyles are so different we think of them more as lampposts than integrated into our landscapes as much as the grasses, forbs, and trees. But without cacti entire worlds would disappear.

South Carolina, carolina sandhills national wildlife refuge

South Dakota, Badlands national Park

An uncommon dark Dianthidium from Florida. This one captured on the Atlantic coast in Canaveral National Seashore, Photographed by Brooke AlexanderCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

A pollen laden Dianthidium parkeri from Cochise County, Arizona collected by Don Harvey. This genus is associated with drylands. A few occur in the East, but are almost entirely restricted to dry sandy soil habitats. Features here to look at, bee-wise, are the very large wing covers and the winged projections at the corners of the thorax behind the head.