Images

Photo Contest Winner | June 2021 | Honorable Mention
USGS Natiave Bee Lab, Magicicada cassinii, super rare Blue eyed variant

The least common of the Eastern Agapostemon bee species. It shows up regularly, but almost always in ones and twos rather in the numbers seen by at least A. virescens and in sandy areas A. splendens. Collected in P.G. County, Maryland and photographed by Wayne Boo.

The least common of the Eastern Agapostemon bee species. It shows up regularly, but almost always in ones and twos rather in the numbers seen by at least A. virescens and in sandy areas A. splendens. Collected in P.G. County, Maryland and photographed by Wayne Boo.

East of the Mississippi River there are 4 species of Agapostemons. The largest of the metallic green Sweat Bees. In some places they can be extremely abundant. This species, however, is never abundant, but exists throughout its range in a here and there sort of way. Regularly occurring, but never dominating.

Male Agapostemon's almost all have this same pattern, Metallicy green on the head and thorax and then striped yellow and black on the abdomen. Females uniformly don't have yellow anywhere. Why is good question as this male yellowness syndrome runs throughout the bee kingdom, cutting across families.

Dominican Republic, The only described all black Agapostemon in the Caribbean is from Cuba. (A. obscuratus). Collected in November of 2012. This is either A. obscuratus and a new record for Hispaniola or a new species.

Hermaphrodite! (aka a gynandromorph) This Agapostemon texanus or angelicus (species can't be determined here) is part male and part female. This happens in I think all animals and I have seen about 5 of these after looking at about 400,000 bee specimens. This one was brought in by Tim McMahon after he collected it in Arizona.

More Green Bees. This is a common one, one of the commonest summer bees in the East. Agapostemon virescens. The females have a black abdomen unlike the other female Agapostemons in the East which are bright green all round. This one was caught in Caroline County in Maryland. Picture by Amanda Robinson.

This Agapostemon species is one of the most common native bees in the East. In almost any field there can be hundreds if not thousands of these bees visiting a wide variety of blooming plants.

Agapostemon splendens, female, Florida, October 2011, Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve

Ramps. Allium tricoccum. Things in the onion group can be good pollen sources for bees. Ramps are no exception. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

A pollinator of wild relatives of tomatoes, this species will alight upon and then vibrate tomato flowers using its wing muscles. These plants have cleverly hidden their pollen in tubular anthers that are primarily released when buzzed by bees at a certain frequency.

Andrena bisalicis, female, Maryland

A dark spring Andrena mining bee seen throughout the East in woodlands and the edge of woodlands foraging on the blooms of trees and the flowers that appear in early spring within rich deciduous woods. Andrena carlini is often the most common Andrena. One of the few bees in this large taxonomic group with dark pollen collecting hairs.

A dark spring Andrena mining bee seen throughout the East in woodlands and the edge of woodlands foraging on the blooms of trees and the flowers that appear in early spring within rich deciduous woods. Andrena carlini is often the most common Andrena. One of the few bees in this large taxonomic group with dark pollen collecting hairs.

Hardy County, West Virginia

More from Yosemite National Park. Hmmm, that color, so blue, reminds me of famously blue bees such as Ceratina and Osmia...but, in this case, we are looking at Andrena chapmanae...one of the raree Andrena that are a strong metallic blue. I have to say that the combination of this midnight blue and deeply dark brown is very attractive.

Another shot of the previous bee, this time from the back. Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

An uncommon spring bee, this is Andrena confederata. This bee, occurs in low numbers throughout the region. There are relatively few records, but my impression is that it likely occurs regularly in the right situations. What those situations are and what the habitats they prefer might be, is unclear. Nothing new, so much to learn about bees.

An uncommon spring bee, this is Andrena confederata. This bee, occurs in low numbers throughout the region. There are relatively few records, but my impression is that it likely occurs regularly in the right situations. What those situations are and what the habitats they prefer might be, is unclear. Nothing new, so much to learn about bees.

Andrena confederata - A male of this uncommon species found in Calvert County and photographed by Dejen Mengis.