Images

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.

Pachyanthidium species, Sawtooth Sputnik Bee, collected in KenyaAnother striking Sputnik Bee from Africa. This group of bees, and the Anthidiini tribe it nestles in taxonomically, are almost all characteristically striped and spotted with bright yellow, white, and red colors on a wide body, usually also with serious amounts of pitting cratering their exoskeleton.

Bees Learn to Drive Very Small Cars.Scientists capitalized on recent revelations that bees are a lot smarter than previously thought. In addition to being able to count and solve simple puzzles USGS scientists at the Patuxent Native Bee Lab have taught bees to driver miniaturized automobiles.

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

You probably have this problem. You get a specimen in, but it covered in gunk and its hairs are all matted. What do you do? Well, I think we have finally figured it out. Here is a specimen of Bombus rufocinctus caught by the state of Pennsylvania in some kind of dry trap, covered in moth scales and gook. Then, it gets a new look at the USGS BEEauty salon.

Here is a lovely black and red seed. Photographed on the cut tip of a pin. Sadly, I do not have a record of the seed's name, so any help with this distinct specimen would be appreciated. This seed came from a 100 year old collection of seeds used as reference by the old Bureau of Biological Survey.

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.

Jessica Zelt found this small Blue-gray Gnatcatcher nest from the previous season on the ground at the Beltsville Agriculture Research Center a few days ago. How beautifully made of lichens, hair and spiderwebs. Photograph by Hannah Sutton. 100mm Canon used, with Zerene Stacking software.

The male of a relatively new introduced species from Japan. Likes to nest in adobe walls of buildings and underneath decks. Photoshopping by Thistle Droege and Photography by Brooke Alexander.

OK, maybe not the best picture, but this is Anthophora terminalis. The females, as you see here, have a red tip to the abdomen (technically: the bee's butt). Small than other Anthophora (at least in the Eastern U.S.) and different in that they do not nest in dirt banks or the ground like their big cousins, but in plant stems.

Anthophora terminalis, collected in Morris Arboretum by Stephanie Wilson and photoshopped by Ann Simpkins

Anthophora terminalis, collected in Morris Arboretum by Stephanie Wilson and photoshopped by Ann Simpkins

Anthophora terminalis, collected in Morris Arboretum by Stephanie Wilson and photoshopped by Ann Simpkins

OK, maybe not the best picture, but this is Anthophora terminalis. The females, as you see here, have a red tip to the abdomen (technically: the bee's butt). Small than other Anthophora (at least in the Eastern U.S.) and different in that they do not nest in dirt banks or the ground like their big cousins, but in plant stems.

OK, maybe not the best picture, but this is Anthophora terminalis. The females, as you see here, have a red tip to the abdomen (technically: the bee's butt). Small than other Anthophora (at least in the Eastern U.S.) and different in that they do not nest in dirt banks or the ground like their big cousins, but in plant stems.

Here is a series of males and females of Anthophora urbana from Yolo County, California. This bee was collected in the California Central Valley in Yolo County for research on small-scale restoration in agricultural areas. Claire Kremen's 10-year study of hedgerows shows the benefits of planting native shrubs and forbs in agricultural areas for native bees.

Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa. Consider the chokeberry....native and super full of antioxidants, also super attractive to native bees. Why don't you have any in your yard? Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Oak Timberworm, Arrhenodes minutus, and an interesting mite on its mid femur, found at my moth light...likely attracted to the area due to the fresh red oak I am adding to the wood pile. Note the odd mite appears to be glued to the femur, it was still alive when the picture was taken, but apparently could not leave its host.

Common Milkweed - The primary foodplant in most of the range of the loved-by-all Monarch Butterfly . Also a weed, if you are a wheat farmer, and also something much less common in agricultural landscapes where they dominated in the past. Why? Because we figured out how to create food plants that cannot be killed by herbicides.

Orange in Saturation. No need for Photoshop filters here. This is the orange orange of butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa, a magnet for bees and butterflies, but provider only of nectar. Its visitors transfer butterfly weed pollen in sacs that get clipped onto the legs of big visitors when their foot slips into the florets.

Laphria thoracica, a Robber fly that mimics bees. The sit around waiting for a passing fly, attach, and then suck it dry. You should appreciate the fact that this species is measured in mm, captured by Tim McMahon and photographed by Wayne Boo