Images

Here we have the nest parasite of one of Puerto Rico's Centris bees. Its lays its eggs in the nests of the host, kills the hosts egg or young and eats the stores. Taxonomically its not clear what this species is but it appears to be close to (aff. = affiliated with) M. rufipes. Perhaps you, dear reader, will figure that out.

Here we have the nest parasite of one of Puerto Rico's Centris bees. Its lays its eggs in the nests of the host, kills the hosts egg or young and eats the stores. Taxonomically its not clear what this species is but it appears to be close to (aff. = affiliated with) M. rufipes. Perhaps you, dear reader, will figure that out.

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Collected by Tim McMahon in Costa Rica, this is a nest parasite of Centris species, this is Mesoplia rufipes. Nicely aglow with red legs and a blue abdomen. Photo by Anders Croft.

Mesopl1a azurea, CUBA, GTMO, 2011, June

Well, most of the time I don't think our pictures resonate as much when desaturated, however, the previous uploaded midge seems to want that, so here it is.

The foot of the American Mink: Neovison vison. A lovely male freshly killed where a stream crosses the road in the progenitor of all suburbs: Bowie, Maryland. All sorts of things exist in these seeming wastelands.

The foot of the American Mink: Neovison vison. A lovely male freshly killed where a stream crosses the road in the progenitor of all suburbs: Bowie, Maryland. All sorts of things exist in these seeming wastelands.

Bee Balm. Good for a spicy summer drink and hummingbird and bee forage the rest of the time. Specimen and photograph by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Seems similar to M. bimaculata, this specimen from Key Biscayne National Park, does not conform to the description of South Florida specimens, which are given the subspecies name. M. b. nulla

Melissodes communis from Biscayne National Park at the tip of Florida. Perhaps the most common species of Melissodes in the deep south. Big and hits the yellow composites like most of the Melissodes. Fast flier. The group is known as summer long-horned bees. Picture by Brooke Alexander, shopping by Elizabeth Garcia.

Many Melissodes...and there are many look just about the same making them yet another difficult group to differentiate. Here is a common eastern one...a species that makes its way to the north of its near look alike. Picture taken by Ashleigh Jacobs, photshopping by Elizabeth Garcia.

Bryce Canyon Utah...not only has awesome geological formations, but also has awesome bees such as Melissodes conrfusa...in fact the dry west has many more species inhabiting it than the moist and lush landscapes of eastern North America. Picture by Sue Boo. Melissodes confusa captured as part of a large National Park service project.

A pollen specialist. This species gathers pollen from what appears to be entirely the wet meadow growing plant. ironweed. A lovely deep purple aster that when planted in meadows and gardens is almost immediately discovered by this bee even though the region surrounding seems devoid of ironweed.

Ironweed specialist. Well at least the female is a specialist in that she feeds here babies the bright white pollen of this group of plants. If you plant Ironweed in your garden Melissodes denticulatus will show up they are that common (ironweed is common too).

Ironweed specialist. Well at least the female is a specialist in that she feeds here babies the bright white pollen of this group of plants. If you plant Ironweed in your garden Melissodes denticulatus will show up they are that common (ironweed is common too).

Melissodes dentiventris, male, an uncommon denizen of dry sandy areas, specializing on pollination of composites...particularly maryland goldenaster. Collected in Anne Arundel County Maryland

Megachile pseudobrevis, female, Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida

Fort Mantanzas National Monument has Megachile pseudobrevis living in it. How nice that National Monuments now become sanctuaries for bees and Nature while we continue to tame to death the rest of the world. Photography by Miss Sierra Williams.

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia