Images

A nest parasite of bees in the genus Agapostemon...perhaps this one targets Agapostemon splendens...which as the name implies is particularly splendidly arrayed in metallic blues and greens. This bee was captured as part of a survey of bees in Gateway National Recreation Area...which includes much of the harbor area of New York City.

The genus Nomada includes many species with murky taxonomies. The group of species with an extra tooth off the tip (we call them the bidentate group) are particularly tricky with molecular working showing it to be a swarm of many "species". So it goes in insect land.

The genus Nomada includes many species with murky taxonomies. The group of species with an extra tooth off the tip (we call them the bidentate group) are particularly tricky with molecular working showing it to be a swarm of many "species". So it goes in insect land.

Osmia georgica - Note the slight orangish tone to the hairs under the abdomen. These are used to carry the pollen they collect while out and about. Found in Maryland and photographed by Sue Boo

A not that great shot of a beat up male Osmia georgica from Maryland. why did I choose this lousy specimen? I am just not sure. Photo by Amanda Robinson. 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.

Range Jumper. This range jumper jumped from Illinois to Virginia. There are no records in between. How odd....this is a rare bee in its limited range in the Midwest and to find it all the way in the Mountains of Virginia seems near fantastical, but there it is and more than one specimen too.

Here you can see the sculptured wonder of an Osmia's Mandibles...designed to cut leaves to line their nests. While indistinct you can see the notch out of the rim of the clypeus that defines this species. The classic Blue Orchard Bee, that many gardeners make nests for by drilling blocks of wood or buying little houses or straws.

Forgot to upload this back shot of the midnight blue Osmia montana. Collected in the mountains of Yosemite National Park as part of a burn recovery project by Claire Kremen's group. Photos by Anders Croft.

Some Osmia are not shiny metallic green or blue, but black to midnight blue like our buddy O. montana here. Collected in the mountains of Yosemite National Park as part of a burn recovery project by Claire Kremen's group. Photos by Anders Croft.

Taxonomy and Discovery. One would expect based on what we know about things like plants and birds, that we would largely have figured out what species of bees exist in the Eastern United States...Not so, still much to do for the students of bees.

Who doesn't love an Osmia...particularly an Osmia paradisica from the under visited Great Basin National Park. Picture taken by Brooke Alexander. 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.

We have already added the male of this species. As the name implies this species is rufous in its hairs. Check the hairs filled with pollen underneath the abdomen. Collected by Jelle Devalez in the Aegean Islands of Greece. Photography by Brooke Alexander.

Fort Mantanzas has more cool bees to share with use from a tiny coastal monument run by the park service along the upper coast of Florida. This time more junior bees in the genus Perdita. Photography by Sierra Williams, photoshopping by Elizabeth Garcia.

Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida. A good place to find bees as well as forts. This long-tongued mini-bee was found there.

Little tiny bees from the Petrified Forest National Monument. Perdita are often, if not always, plant specialists and there are mannnnnnnnyyyyy of them, all small and often with enough quirks that putting a name on them can be difficult in the deserts of the Southwest.

Little tiny bees from the Petrified Forest National Monument. Perdita are often, if not always, plant specialists and there are mannnnnnnnyyyyy of them, all small and often with enough quirks that putting a name on them can be difficult in the deserts of the Southwest.

Little tiny bees from the Petrified Forest National Monument. Perdita are often, if not always, plant specialists and there are mannnnnnnnyyyyy of them, all small and often with enough quirks that putting a name on them can be difficult in the deserts of the Southwest.

Perdita luteola, Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park

Perdita phymatae, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Petrified Forest National Monument, Arizona, Apache County

A wee 2mm Perilampid from Hart-Miller Island in the Chesapeake Bay collected by Gene Scarpulla and awaiting final deterimination.