Images

Such a lovely blue and relatively unusual in the Genus Lasioglossum. At least in the East there is no other Lasioglossum so extensively and uniformly blue. So blue that it is often mistaken for an Osmia. This species is associated with woodlands, feeding on the vernal flora of the woods and nearby fields and nesting in rotten wood.

More L. coreiaceum pictures...these are from a specimen taken as part of global climate change study at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.Photograph by Brooke Alexander.

Lasioglossum creberrimum, Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas

Brianne Du Clos, collected this common Lasioglossum in Maine...probably in or near a blueberry field. Unlike most of our specimens you can see the pollen all over this specimen. Photograph by Dejen Mengis.

Brianne Du Clos, collected this common Lasioglossum in Maine...probably in or near a blueberry field. Unlike most of our specimens you can see the pollen all over this specimen. Photograph by Dejen Mengis.

Lasioglossum egregium, nicely patterned bands of hair on its hinders, this is a common bee in the West. This particular one is from Bryce Canyon National Park. More to see in Bryce than a bunch of rocks, I think. Photograph by Brooke Alexander.

Lasioglossum eleutherense, female, Florida, National Park Service, Biscayne National Park

Cuba, GTMO, Guantanamo Bay

Cuba, GTMO, Guantanamo Bay

Well, someone has to take pictures of all these small metallic Lasioglossums. This is L. flaveriae. A Deep South species. I associate it with southern, piney flatlands, but it is based on partial understandings. Bees are so tiny and we look under Mother Nature's hood in so few places.

Well, someone has to take pictures of all these small metallic Lasioglossums. This is L. flaveriae. A Deep South species. I associate it with southern, piney flatlands, but it is based on partial understandings. Bees are so tiny and we look under Mother Nature's hood in so few places.

One of the many tricky to identify Dialictus bee species, this from the lovely Cumberland Island National Seashore, Cumberland Island having many interesting species and worthy of much more exploration. Photo taken by Kamren Jefferson

Lasioglossum forbesii - A relatively uncommon sweat bee from near Front Royal, Virginia at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Lindernia dubia, false pimpernel, one of numerous low growing flowering plants that feed the many tiny bees that live out there, that we don't pay any attention to. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Indian Cucumber Root, Medeola virginiana. I have eaten its root ...and it does taste like cucumber....you need a lot of them though, tiny. Photo and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman.

A sand loving, ground nesting Megachile from Gateway National Recreation Area on Sandy Hook in New Jersey. Photograph by Brooke Alexander.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, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

I recently spent some time at a family reunion in South Central Texas and, of course, brought my net. Here is Megachile albitarsis, a large ground nesting Meg with its lovely amber red eyes and orange pollen carrying hairs.

Now this is one handsome male. This is Megachile albitarsis, we took it long enough ago (am working through out backlog of things needing photoshopping) that I can't recall the circumstances. This large, not uncommon, southern bee has big hands. These are used to cover the female's eyes during mating. You can make up your own story as to why.

Now this is one handsome male. This is Megachile albitarsis, we took it long enough ago (am working through out backlog of things needing photoshopping) that I can't recall the circumstances. This large, not uncommon, southern bee has big hands. These are used to cover the female's eyes during mating. You can make up your own story as to why.

Megachile aramaticeps, female, GTMO, Cuba Naval Base

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee - A leaf cutting bee, common throughout much of North America