Images

A twinkly white spring Andrena found on blooming wild plum in my front yard.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, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

A small male bee from my memory County Maryland with distinctive yellow markings to either side of its clypeus. 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.

A twinkly white spring Andrena found on blooming wild plum in my front yard.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, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

This tiny bee is a specialist on Willow Pollen, and was captured early this spring, unfortunately it is also completely coated in pollen and lint from the collecting process and did not go through our usual wash and blow dry procedure...thus the bad hair, but on the other hand it shows the characteristic light green tinge to the integument and generally captures the

Another of the large and sometimes confusing Melandrena species, collected by Nancy Adamson, Photograph by Colby Francoeur.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

Another of the large and sometimes confusing Melandrena species, collected by Nancy Adamson, Photograph by Colby Francoeur.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

Andrena pallidiscopa, female, Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Andrena perplexa - This is a male from Talbot County, Maryland, long thin mandibles, wide cheeks and a big for an Andrena. Common in woodland areas, like so many of the Andrena. 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.

Male Andrena bees can be difficult to identify. Particularly complicated and confusing are the subgenus Melandrena. Here is a member of that subgenus....A. pruni. However!

A common spring western Andrena. More colorful than the average dark chocolate Andrena (fuscous is what the old timers would call it). Quite reddish in its integument in spots and a nice yellow clypeus as in this male. Collected in the fabulous Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

From George Washington's Birthplace comes a fall Frost Aster specialist. One of about 6 or so species that specialize on the pollen of Asters and sometimes Goldenrods, these species are uncommonly collected but likely more because people are not looking that true uncommoness. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

Another uncommon woodland Andrena. Andrena thaspii also is largely unstudied. Kelly Graninger took the picture and Ellison Orcutt caught the bee in Virginia.

Andrena cragini, male, new species record for South Dakota from Badlands National Park as part of a park wide inventory, this small Andrena species appears to be a Leadplant pollen specialist, photgraphed by interns Joyce, Colby, and Amber

A very common bee in our region. It can be found in almost any spring habitat from woods to yards.

One of the most common Andrena in the East, as well as throughout the US and southern Canada. Here we have the male of Andrena cressonii. This species shows up across many habitats, weedy, wooded, agricultural, lawns, suburbs, and wildlands.

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.

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.

Andrena forbesii from Maryland, thanks to Ann Simpkins for photoshopping

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

Andrena fulvipennis "“ A very rare species this male was captured in an old sand pit in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. This species is only found in deep, permanently sandy locations. Picture taken by Brooke Alexander.

Andrena fulvipennis "“ A very rare species this male was captured in an old sand pit in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. This species is only found in deep, permanently sandy locations. Picture taken by Brooke Alexander.