Images

Andrena fragilis, June 2012, Cecil County, Maryland

Andrena nuda, Somerset County, Maryland, April 2012, female

Andrena virginiana, male, Maryland, Garrett County, July 2012

Anemone virginiana - A flower of the hunky Thimbleberry just beginning to open. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ah, if angels were bees this would be one. However, if you were a Colletes bee you would not think so since the Angel Bee would invade your home, lay an egg, leave and later the Angel Bee baby would kill your baby and eat all your food. So life goes.

Alepidosceles - Sorry, too very tired to look up anything about this lovely Diadasia like bee from Brazil. You will have to do it for me, I can't do everything you know. Just make up some interesting life history notes for me, if you would, please.

Female Caenonomada - Argentina....from the Laurence Packer lab....a bee that replaces at least some of the pollen/nectar component with plant oils oils. 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.

Parapsaenythia, Red Hairyeye Andrenid, collected in Argentina by Natalia VeigaBees rarely have hair coming out from between the facets of their eyes. The Honey Bee is the obvious one, with its long hairs used for navigation.

Mydrosoma serratum, Serrated Evening Bee, collected in Mexico by Sheila Dumesh 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.

Another unknown bee species from Argentina form the Laurence Packer lab. Rather striking and buff looking in format and so the genus should be easy to pick out. 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.

Amegilla species, Unknown Banded Bee, collected in South Africa by Laurence PackerBanded Bees are a diverse group, occurring in lands all across the Old World and Australia. Asian and Australian groups tend to be more of the "Blue-banded" variety (see accountxxx) while in the Eastern part of their range they more often than not lack any blue reflections.

Ancyla asiatica, Asiatic Enigma Bee collected in Turkey Nine species of Enigma Bees occur from the Western portion of the Mediterranean to Central Asia. They are called Enigma bees because it has been so difficult to decide which other bees they are closely related to. The reason for this confusion lies in their tongues.

Ancyla asiatica, Asiatic Enigma Bee collected in Turkey Nine species of Enigma Bees occur from the Western portion of the Mediterranean to Central Asia. They are called Enigma bees because it has been so difficult to decide which other bees they are closely related to. The reason for this confusion lies in their tongues.

Dominican Republic, possible leaf beetle, floating in and sanitizer in a Cuvetter

More clean up of the Bee Lab's picture files.Is this an alien? Or is it a beetle. I don't know because it only mentions that it is a beetle from Carroll County, Maryland. Any guesses as to genus/species? Picture taken by Wayne Boo.

Unknown Cerambycid beetle, from Laurel Maryland collected in June by Francisco Posada

Beggar's-Ticks of the Nodding variety. Showy, and, at times, filling ditches in low areas of Maryland. One of the native plants that seems to be happy with disturbed environments and they come with barbed seeds that stick to the coats of animals and the coats of people with equal vigor. Lots of yellow in the fall...beautiful.

Agrotis ipsilon - Black Cutworm - Another major crop pest. This species moves into northern parts of North America after overwintering in Texas and Mexico and then pulls off a couple of generations in weedy fields and particularly impacting newly planted corn. Yet another pest that looks rather beautiful when viewed up close.

A very large Chrysidid Wasp from Kruger National Park, species unknown, Anders Croft photographer.

Found in a bowl trap at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, this is Bolbocerosoma tumefactum, a rather handsome dung beetle that doesn't eat dung.

Still Here. I think this is big news and a big deal. T'ai Roulston and his identification triggerman Skyler Burrows stopped by the lab this week to work on some tricky bee ids and brought this Bombus affinis in from Sky Meadows State Park at the edge of the Blue Ridge in N. Virginia to have its picture taken.