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Eastern Ecological Science Center images.

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Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
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Hylaeus annulatus, F, Face, NY, Hawksnest Road Junction
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Face, NY, Hawksnest Road Junction
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Face, NY, Hawksnest Road Junction

Another set of shots of a masked bee from the Adirondack Mountains. This is a northerish bee...it extends south, but only along the Appalachians. Most of the females (as in this one) have a bit of yellow on the tip of the clypeus. Not uncommon, look for them on flat topped flowers such as Queen Anne's lace. The look is more wasp than bee however.

Another set of shots of a masked bee from the Adirondack Mountains. This is a northerish bee...it extends south, but only along the Appalachians. Most of the females (as in this one) have a bit of yellow on the tip of the clypeus. Not uncommon, look for them on flat topped flowers such as Queen Anne's lace. The look is more wasp than bee however.

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Hylaeus annulatus, F, Side, NY, Hawksnest Road Junctuion
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Side, NY, Hawksnest Road Junctuion
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Side, NY, Hawksnest Road Junctuion

Another set of shots of a masked bee from the Adirondack Mountains. This is a northerish bee...it extends south, but only along the Appalachians. Most of the females (as in this one) have a bit of yellow on the tip of the clypeus. Not uncommon, look for them on flat topped flowers such as Queen Anne's lace. The look is more wasp than bee however.

Another set of shots of a masked bee from the Adirondack Mountains. This is a northerish bee...it extends south, but only along the Appalachians. Most of the females (as in this one) have a bit of yellow on the tip of the clypeus. Not uncommon, look for them on flat topped flowers such as Queen Anne's lace. The look is more wasp than bee however.

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Hylaeus basaliis, F, Face, NY, Gravel Pits
Hylaeus basaliis, F, Face, NY, Gravel Pits
Hylaeus basaliis, F, Face, NY, Gravel Pits

The genus Hylaeus is referred to as the Masked Bee group. Most species have yellow vaguely mask-like yellow/white markings on their face. Not this one. It is distinctive in the absence of yellow. Looks like a wasp, does it not? This is because is carries its pollen and nectar loads internally and so the normal hairiness of most bees can be dispensed with.

The genus Hylaeus is referred to as the Masked Bee group. Most species have yellow vaguely mask-like yellow/white markings on their face. Not this one. It is distinctive in the absence of yellow. Looks like a wasp, does it not? This is because is carries its pollen and nectar loads internally and so the normal hairiness of most bees can be dispensed with.

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Hylaeus georgicus, M, face, 320133
Hylaeus georgicus, M, face, 320133
Hylaeus georgicus, M, face, 320133

New State Record for Maryland, April 2012 Collected on Willow blooms in Dorchester County....a very rarely collected bee east of the Mississippi. I don't know any recent records

New State Record for Maryland, April 2012 Collected on Willow blooms in Dorchester County....a very rarely collected bee east of the Mississippi. I don't know any recent records

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Hylaeus hyalinatus, M, back2
Hylaeus hyalinatus, M, back2
Hylaeus hyalinatus, M, back2

Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, non-native species, collected by Stephanie Wilson

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Hoplitis albifrons, f, back, Mariposa CA, 2017-07-13-15.20
Hoplitis albifrons, f, back, Mariposa CA, 2017-07-13-15.20
Hoplitis albifrons, f, back, Mariposa CA, 2017-07-13-15.20

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.

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.

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Hoplitis albifrons, m, left, Mariposa, CA
Hoplitis albifrons, m, left, Mariposa, CA
Hoplitis albifrons, m, left, Mariposa, CA

The male of Hoplitis albifrons, a common northern and western mountain species. Relatively large, almost the size of a honey bee at least in length. 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 male of Hoplitis albifrons, a common northern and western mountain species. Relatively large, almost the size of a honey bee at least in length. 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.

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Hoplitis fulgida, f, face, Mariposa CA
Hoplitis fulgida, f, face, Mariposa CA
Hoplitis fulgida, f, face, Mariposa CA

More shots of a shiny bright blue/purple Hoplitis fulgida. This one from Yosemite National Park, collected by Claire Kremen's group. This one is a female.

More shots of a shiny bright blue/purple Hoplitis fulgida. This one from Yosemite National Park, collected by Claire Kremen's group. This one is a female.

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Hoplitis sambuci, m, face, Bray 2, CA
Hoplitis sambuci, m, face, Bray 2, CA
Hoplitis sambuci, m, face, Bray 2, CA

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.

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Hoplitis spoliata, male, face, NY, Franklin Co
Hoplitis spoliata, male, face, NY, Franklin Co
Hoplitis spoliata, male, face, NY, Franklin Co

Sometimes male bees depart from the standard antennae shapes for some sort of new performance specs. No body seems to be studying why this might be, but there is substantive research on how incredible antennae can be at detecting just a few molecules.

Sometimes male bees depart from the standard antennae shapes for some sort of new performance specs. No body seems to be studying why this might be, but there is substantive research on how incredible antennae can be at detecting just a few molecules.

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Hylaeus pictipes, m, oil paint Crawford Co., PA
Hylaeus pictipes, m, oil paint Crawford Co., PA
Hylaeus pictipes, m, oil paint Crawford Co., PA

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.

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.

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Hylaeus sparsus, f, face, Shenandoah, VA
Hylaeus sparsus, f, face, Shenandoah, VA
Hylaeus sparsus, f, face, Shenandoah, VA

A couple more shots of the mysterious female masked bee Hylaeus sparsus. These collected by Jessica Rykken in Shenandoah National Park. Rarely collected by found across hundreds of miles of North America. Makes you wonder what we are missing, my guess is we are missing a lot because no body is actually looking.

A couple more shots of the mysterious female masked bee Hylaeus sparsus. These collected by Jessica Rykken in Shenandoah National Park. Rarely collected by found across hundreds of miles of North America. Makes you wonder what we are missing, my guess is we are missing a lot because no body is actually looking.

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Hylaeus species, f, 15266a12, angled, kenya
Hylaeus species, f, 15266a12, angled, kenya
Hylaeus species, f, 15266a12, angled, kenya

a lovely lady Hylaeus from Kenya, one of the specimens from the Packer lab that did not make it into the upcoming book. It was a very dirty specimen originally, lots of dust and pollen, thank goodness for photoshop. Also experimented with using the augmentation brush to pull light into dark spots, darken off excess eyeshine, and help with pin removal.

a lovely lady Hylaeus from Kenya, one of the specimens from the Packer lab that did not make it into the upcoming book. It was a very dirty specimen originally, lots of dust and pollen, thank goodness for photoshop. Also experimented with using the augmentation brush to pull light into dark spots, darken off excess eyeshine, and help with pin removal.

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Hylaeus species, F, Face, Maui, HI
Hylaeus species, F, Face, Maui, HI
Hylaeus species, F, Face, Maui, HI

One of the native species of Maui, here unusually found at lower elevations on the island during surveys last spring. Normally this group is restricted to upper elevations that retain at least a large component of the native flora.

One of the native species of Maui, here unusually found at lower elevations on the island during surveys last spring. Normally this group is restricted to upper elevations that retain at least a large component of the native flora.

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Hylaeus species, Maui, F, back
Hylaeus species, Maui, F, back
Hylaeus species, Maui, F, back

One of the native species of Maui, here unusually found at lower elevations on the island during surveys last spring. Normally this group is restricted to upper elevations that retain at least a large component of the native flora.

One of the native species of Maui, here unusually found at lower elevations on the island during surveys last spring. Normally this group is restricted to upper elevations that retain at least a large component of the native flora.

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Jumping spider, face
Jumping spider, face
Jumping spider, face

A series of shots of an unknown jumping spider from the Patuxent Bee Laboratory. Wish I knew more about spider id......

A series of shots of an unknown jumping spider from the Patuxent Bee Laboratory. Wish I knew more about spider id......

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Jumping-Spider,on-fishhook-face
Jumping-Spider,on-fishhook-face
Jumping-Spider,on-fishhook-face

Unknown Jumping spider, August 2012, Beltsville, Maryland, Benjamin A Coulter helped narrow this down to perhaps an immature Thiodina sylvana

Unknown Jumping spider, August 2012, Beltsville, Maryland, Benjamin A Coulter helped narrow this down to perhaps an immature Thiodina sylvana

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Karner blue butterfly, U, back, Indiana
Karner blue butterfly, U, back, Indiana
Karner blue butterfly, U, back, Indiana

Catterpillar of Endangered Karner Blue butterfly Lycaeides melissa samuelis, almost ready to pupate ...a.k.a. a fatty

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Karner blue pupae, U,
Karner blue pupae, U,
Karner blue pupae, U,

Pupae of endangered Karner Blue Butterfly Lycaeides melissa samuelis

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Kleidocerys resedae., U, Back, Maryland, Dorchester County
Kleidocerys resedae., U, Back, Maryland, Dorchester County
Kleidocerys resedae., U, Back, Maryland, Dorchester County

Birch Catkin Bug (Kleidocerys resedae) on a fish hook, Dorchester County, Maryland, lovely color and sculpturing patterns. Determination by Thijs de Graaf

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