Images

Greensand, dug from my backyard, which at one point was on the ocean floor...and at a point in the future will return to that state. Our local greensand is composed of rounded marine sand, glauconite (the greensstuff), and geothite (small brown/black particles).

Habropoda laboriosa, female, Maryland, Kent County 2012 spring

Habropoda laboriosa, Queen Anne's County, Maryland, March 2012

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Halictus poeyi and its counterpart Halictus ligatus are 2 of the most common bees in Eastern North America. H. poeyi is runs to the south and H. ligatus to the north. There is enough overlap in characters that at this point they are considered indistinguishable. These species are well in the known range of only H. poeyi in St.

A relatively new invader to North America. Unlike most of the other invasive bees, this is a ground nester, most of the others nest in holes and likely come over as nest stowaways in shipping containers and dunnage.

DRONE! Apis mellifera male plundered from Dennis vanEngelsdorp's Lab. Washed and blown dried, buff. Photo by Sue Boo, interlab spy. 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.

Dark Bee. Some bees are all black, black hairs, black integument (skin), little reflection. This makes for somewhat eerie photography, a gothic presentation of a species that does not care what we think. Northern and mountain in distribution across both sides of the continent. This one from way up in Yosemite National Park in California.

Hoplitis anthocopoides - relatively recently introduced species into North America, this is a bee who specializes in the equally introduced plant Vipers Bugloss (Echium vulgare).

The equally bright but skinny version of Hoplitis fulgida. More bees from Yosemite National Park in California by Claire Kremen's group. Photo by Anders Croft.

Hoplitis fulgida (fulgid is Latin for bling). This is one of our early shots, taken of a bee from Grand Teton National Park. It is a terrible specimen in many ways, not symmetrically arrayed, a bit crumpled, probably why I had ignored it.

Hoplitis fulgida, male

The Blue-eyed Bee. Hoplitis pilosifrons. One of the Megachilidae...they tuck pollen under their abdomen to carry to their nests rather than on their legs like the classic honey bee model. Collected at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge ...a refuge not created for bees, but now embracing their bee communities with plantings and management.

A large Hoplitis from the West Coast. Specifically from Yosemite National Park. Am still mystified by this genus, they are always around in small numbers, but never seem to be a "player" like some of the other genera, if you know what I mean. The specimens were collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio - Study led by L.

A large Hoplitis from the West Coast. Specifically from Yosemite National Park. Am still mystified by this genus, they are always around in small numbers, but never seem to be a "player" like some of the other genera, if you know what I mean. The specimens were collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio - Study led by L.

Prince George's County, Maryland

A small, hole nesting bee, collected in Charles County Maryland, Hoplitis simplex is uncommonly found and is a specialist on the plant genus Phacelia. Bee specialists such as this little Hoplitis are fundamentally linked to the world's plant biodiversity...not Phacelia...no H. simplex. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

A large Hoplitis, that occurs throughout most of North America East of the Rockies. Occurs in low numbers at most locations, in the Mid-Atlantic is is a June bee and associated with what would appear to be mostly Woody blooming plants. Something to consider in your planting pollinator plans... don't forget the blooming shrubs and small trees.

A lovely Hylaeus from Australia with some nice yellow pinstriping on the face and bold swaths on the scuttellum, pronotal lobe, and metanotum. From the Packer Bee Laboratory. 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.

A wetlands bee, usually with red on the basal segments of the abdomen but not always. The males with extensive yellow on their faces. Here from the marshes of Kent County, Maryland

Colors. You know, bees are so interesting sometimes. Here is Hylaeus pictipes. Jason Gibbs found this species up in Ontario, Canada where it did not belong since it is a bee of the Old World.