Images

The only bidentate Nomada I feel comfortablish identifying. All the rest blend together morphologically and maybe molecularly. This is one of the largest and most common of the bidentates and has a unique set of tibial spurs (which is not saying much) and some general coloration patterns that are helpful. Collected in Charles County, Maryland USA.

Nomada vegana. A rare nest parasite. Comes out in mid-summer, its not clear to me which bees it targets. Most Andrena are done by then, Agapostemon are possibilities. Occurs in the East and out to Utah in the West, but not all the way to the West Coast. Caught by Miriam Jenkins during her studies of Watermelons on the outer Coastal Plain of South Carolina.

Connecticut, Tracy Zarrillo collector

Connecticut, Tracy Zarrillo collector

Phenacolletes mimus, Australian Shorthair, specimen collected by Laurence Packer in AustraliaIn the dry, sparsely populated portions of Western Australia one can find the Australian Shorthair. While it is a pollen collecting bee, it has very short hairs, making it similar to some of the short, thick bodied waspy relatives of bees.

In real life this huge fulgorid (Phrictus diadema)is even more spectacular, this is an old to ancient specimen at the Smithsonian that I shot to test out my photography set up ...still rather magnificently scary looking, even if rather dirty and faded.

Dragonette. My competitor. AKA the Jagged Ambush Bug. These flower dragons tuck into flowers and jump on the bees (an other insects) that I study, injects them, liquefies their insides, and sucks them out, just like some people do emotionally to others. Rugged.

Ninebark. A lovely native shrub, that should be planted more often where there is a need for a large shrub. Grows well, is tough, handles drought, and it attracts pollinators. Photograph by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Pokeweed. Spring greens to many southerners ... at least in the old days. I still eat some if I have my act together when they are growing (look up how to prep them). This is a beautiful plant, and should be a feature in any garden that has room.

Pokeweed. Spring greens to many southerners ... at least in the old days. I still eat some if I have my act together when they are growing (look up how to prep them). This is a beautiful plant, and should be a feature in any garden that has room.

The bug that is everywhere. Lygus lineolaris - The bug that is everywhere. Hard to escape this tiny sap sucking bug, ubiquitous in the East, and pesty in many cases, not given much love, but like all insects it owns and wears its colors well. Here at 10x you can see right into the omatidia that make up the eyes and appreciate a good design when you see one.

Probably Ormenoides venusta

American Sycamore - Seedball - Green! Specimen and picture by Helen Lowe Metzman.

A bee with great form. The shot of this from Africa from the back reminds me of sputnik. As in all the anthidiini it is a wonderful combination of deep pits and tastefully arrayed colors. I think such designs would look great as warrior outerwear.

An enormous bee from Madagascar, the largest members of the subfamily Anthophorini. At least some of these bees are hover pollinators of native plants in the mint family. Males have some slight modifications of the hind legs and an oddly projecting humanized face.

Pachyprosopis cornuta, f, australia, face

Pachyprosopis cornuta, f, australia, side

Golden ragwort, one of several species, now given the genus name of Packera...but formerly Senecio. Those taxonomists... This group hangs out in wet areas or moist roadsides, particularly in the Appalachians.

Palaeorhiza species, Badass Masked Bee, specimen collected in Papua New GuineaThin, relatively hairless, dangerous looking Masked Bees are waspish in aspect since they carry their pollen and nectar internally rather than trapped in external hairs.

An Uncommon (or is it?) Deerberry specialist. If you don't collect bees on Deerberry (Vaccinium staminium) you will never see this bee (Panurginus atramontensis). It only gathers pollen and probably almost all of its nectar from this plant.

An Uncommon (or is it?) Deerberry specialist. If you don't collect bees on Deerberry (Vaccinium staminium) you will never see this bee (Panurginus atramontensis). It only gathers pollen and probably almost all of its nectar from this plant.