Images

Andrena aliciae, male

A specialist on early spring blooming brassicas. This one was collected just a few days ago along a very urbanized and disturbed section of Indian Creek in Beltsville, Maryland. Other than an overstory of trees all the herbaceous material growing seem to be invasive plants.

Collected by Ellison Orcutt, in Caroline County Virginia this small spring Andrena is a fan girl of mustards, particularly the spring mustards that are native and occur in wooded and semi-shaded areas in the spring, often very early in the spring.

A specialist on early spring blooming brassicas. This one was collected just a few days ago along a very urbanized and disturbed section of Indian Creek in Beltsville, Maryland. Other than an overstory of trees all the herbaceous material growing seem to be invasive plants.

One of the relatively few fall Andrena species, this one from West Virginia. As the name implies, it is a lover of asters, and probably only uses Aster pollen to feed its young. Photograph by Brooke Alexander.

A couple of shots of Andrena asteris. Turns out the species is, indeed, an aster specialist. Not particularly common, unless you spend a lot of time looking at asters. If you spend a lot of time looking at willows then good luck finding this species Kiddo. Photo by Wayne Boo.

A very early spring bee, covered in pollen, collected by a homeowner in Bowie, Maryland

From the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee comes Andrena fenningeri, one of the very early spring bees, often associated with red maple bloom. In this case a male. Amber Reese took the picture and Elizabeth Garcia did the shopping.

Another member of the difficult to identify Trachandrena subgenus of Andrena. I think that I have the females sorted out (more or less) but the males...oi! This specimen from Maryland. Picture by Amanda Robinson.

An odd, dark Andrena bee of deep sandy areas that comes out in the middle of summer

Two different specimens of Andrena geranii. A northernish species that appears to be a specialist on ....geraniums. Notable is the slight blue metallic sheen to the body. Aaman Dengis and Brooke Alexander took the pictures.

Two different specimens of Andrena geranii. A northernish species that appears to be a specialist on ....geraniums. Notable is the slight blue metallic sheen to the body. Aaman Dengis and Brooke Alexander took the pictures.

Not the best lighting, but this is Andrena gnaphalii....a interesting Andrena with a green tinge. From the Channel Islands off the coast of California. Photo by Anders Croft.

Another odd ball Andrena from the Channel Islands. This one is A. gnaphalli, collected as part of a larger study of bees in climatically vulnerable National Parks. An apparent Asteraceaea specialist with some glints of green and red instead of the normal black integument.

Another odd ball Andrena from the Channel Islands. This one is A. gnaphalli, collected as part of a larger study of bees in climatically vulnerable National Parks. An apparent Asteraceaea specialist with some glints of green and red instead of the normal black integument.

Andrena asteris, a specialist on Aster pollen in the fall.

Andrena astragali, South Dakota, Badlands National Park

Andrena atlantica. One of over 100 Andrena species in the Mid-Atlantic area. The male of this species does not have a positive means of being identified from A. alleghaniensis. Some needs to figure this out along with many other things. Photo by Sydney Price.

Andrena atlantica. One of over 100 Andrena species in the Mid-Atlantic area. The male of this species does not have a positive means of being identified from A. alleghaniensis. Some needs to figure this out along with many other things. Photo by Sydney Price.

Regionally common to sometimes even abundant, this is one of the larger Andrena of the spring. It can occur in almost any habitat, gathering pollen from a wide variety of the hugely abundant pollen and nectar sources that occur in Woodlands and surrounding scrub lands.

A rather pollen riddled specimen, this uncommon (at least in Maryland) species is uniquely outfit with a long-strap like labral process...for those of you who are technically inclined.