Images

Osmia conjuncta "“ A female captured in Carroll County, Maryland by Tim McMahon and photographed by Brooke Alexander.

This beautiful blue bee nests in snail shells. I am not sure if there are other species in the East that nest in snail shells, there could be...we know so very little about most species. Collected in Maryland somewhere (probably western Maryland) and Photographed by Wayne Boo.

Osmia felti. A big Mason Bee with black pollen carrying hairs. In the world of all animals are few are very very common and many are very uncommon and some are rare. Here is a rare one that pops up now and again in the North East / North Central sections of North America, but only a handful of times.

Osmia georgica. Nests in holes. Hangs out on mid summer composites. Has orange pollen carrying hairs. Has boss knobs on the upper side of the mandibles (why?). This specimen found on Dave Wagner's transmission line study in New England by Michael Veit. All good.

An eastern Osmia....this is Osmia georgica. Noted for the large projecting horns on its mandibles that likely help the female carry mud to her nest to make partitions. A hole nester that will take up residence in holes you drill in your front porch posts like I do. Photos by Ashleigh Jacobs.

Osmia grindeliae is a widespread western mason bee. It just barely squeaks into Canada and no records as of yet in Mexico. This female was found in Yosemite National Park and collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio examining the effect of fire diversity on bees (Ponisio et al. Gloebal Change Biol. 2016). Photograph by Samia Shell.

The sad Notoxaea...the only member in its genus. It lacks a sting and perhaps is a mimic of the many potent Centris bee species. You will have to go south of the Amazonian basin to find this baby. Collected by Laurence Packer's York University adventurers.

EXPERIMENTAL SHOT - same specimen as previous one, but placed on the backside of a leaf...does it nicely break up the solid black photos...or not?The sad Notoxaea...the only member in its genus. It lacks a sting and perhaps is a mimic of the many potent Centris bee species. You will have to go south of the Amazonian basin to find this baby.

The sad Notoxaea...the only member in its genus. It lacks a sting and perhaps is a mimic of the many potent Centris bee species. You will have to go south of the Amazonian basin to find this baby. Collected by Laurence Packer's York University adventurers.

A small thin bee from Israel. This species is one of but 2 species in this rare genus. The other species occurs all the way down in Namibia. Another specimen from the Packer Lab.

James River at West View, teneral 4/23/2011, Collector S.M. Roble, beautiful stained glass wing coloration

Ophiogomphus susbehcha, cast skin, collected by Richard Orr along the Potomac River

Euglossa....the orchid bees, swanky glintlings of the New World tropical forests. The males gather fragrances produced by orchids who are then pollinated by the infatuations of these males.

Close-up Osage orange fruit, Maryland

More brilliant greens, blues, and purples from the metallic mason bees of western North America. This one (O. aglaia) comes from Yosemite National Park , where Claire Kremen's group has been looking at post burn bee communities in areas of chronic burns. Photograph by Anders Croft.

More brilliant greens, blues, and purples from the metallic mason bees of western North America. This one (O. aglaia) comes from Yosemite National Park , where Claire Kremen's group has been looking at post burn bee communities in areas of chronic burns. Photograph by Anders Croft.

More brilliant greens, blues, and purples from the metallic mason bees of western North America. This one (O. aglaia) comes from Yosemite National Park , where Claire Kremen's group has been looking at post burn bee communities in areas of chronic burns. Photograph by Anders Croft.

A nice blue Osmia albolateralis from the high elevations of Yosemite National Park, part of fire studies from Claire Kremen's group.

Swamp sparrow, Washington D.C., Fall or spring 2012, died striking building downtown, collected by lightsoutdc with permits

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.