Images

So many bees so little time. This is Melissodes rivalis. A male. See the long antennae? That makes it one of the long-horned bees....a clade of several bee genera, mostly summer time species, composite lovers. This is but one of about 4000 U.S. species.

Asteracea is important. Here is Melissodes subillatus, which is fluffy, but basically about the size of a honey bee. It, like so many Melissodes, and so many bees in general, is an Asteraceae specialist. This species does not appear to be too picky and uses a range of fall composites, but a look inside the pollen loads would be interesting for sure.

Asteracea is important. Here is Melissodes subillatus, which is fluffy, but basically about the size of a honey bee. It, like so many Melissodes, and so many bees in general, is an Asteraceae specialist. This species does not appear to be too picky and uses a range of fall composites, but a look inside the pollen loads would be interesting for sure.

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A cranberry specialist. This bee is one of the few bees that specializes on bogs and bog plants and is found in scattered locations from Southern New England along the coastal plane to the Gulf Coast. This specimen was collected by Heather Campbell in the sandhills of North Carolina.

Melitta haemorrhoidalis, Red-butted Campanula Lover, specimen collected by R.C.L. Perkins in Wotton-under-Edge, EnglandMelitta is the Greek word for bee, and the name of the favorite activity indulged in by the authors "“ melittology "“ is based upon this. Melitta bees are specialists.

Melitta haemorrhoidalis, Red-butted Campanula Lover, specimen collected by R.C.L. Perkins in Wotton-under-Edge, EnglandMelitta is the Greek word for bee, and the name of the favorite activity indulged in by the authors "“ melittology "“ is based upon this. Melitta bees are specialists.

Sand. The Golden Sand Loving Bee. When I think of bees that are sand loving I think of Lasioglossum vierecki. For one, how nice to have a golden orange bee to look at. For second it is common in sandy areas...so if you are going to find a sand specialist in a sand mine, dune, beach, barren, sandhill in the Northeast there you will find this little orange bee.

A little golden bee, this is an easy to identify Lasioglossum vierecki...and most Lasioglossum species are not easy to identify. Gold butt and golden hair boom you know the species. Often found in sandy areas...this one from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. Photo by Heagan Ahmed.

Lasioglossum zonulum "“ A male of this large, single weakened vein, northern species, one often confused with the very similar Lasioglossum leucozonium. Captured in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania and photographed by Brooke Alexander

Lasioglossum near puteulanum, female, A not previously known invasive bee for the Hawaiian Islands, March, 2012 Oahu

Lasioglossum pictum, female, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan

Lasioglossum microlepoides, female - March 2012, Hawaii; An alien species from North America, Newly detected in Hawaii

Female Northern Black Widow Spider, Beltsville, MD Prince George's County, Collected by Jessica Zelt

Leucauge venusta, Orchard Orb Weaver, June 2013, Upper Marlboro, MD...eating moths coming to my moth light, highly reflective

Leucauge venusta, Orchard Orb Weaver, June 2013, Upper Marlboro, MD...eating moths coming to my moth light, highly reflective

One of the flower chafers, Leucocelis amythistina. These beetles feed on the pollen of flowers are one of the commonly found members of the large tree munching beetle clan in Kruger National Park. Nice to read the runic messages inscribed secretly on the back of this species.

Spicebush, Lindera benzoin, while early blooming, I see few if any bees on the flowers. This specimen collected and photographed by Helen Lowe Metzman in Howard County, Maryland.

Seems similar to M. bimaculata, this specimen from Key Biscayne National Park, does not conform to the description of South Florida specimens, which are given the subspecies name. M. b. nulla

Melissodes communis from Biscayne National Park at the tip of Florida. Perhaps the most common species of Melissodes in the deep south. Big and hits the yellow composites like most of the Melissodes. Fast flier. The group is known as summer long-horned bees. Picture by Brooke Alexander, shopping by Elizabeth Garcia.

Many Melissodes...and there are many look just about the same making them yet another difficult group to differentiate. Here is a common eastern one...a species that makes its way to the north of its near look alike. Picture taken by Ashleigh Jacobs, photshopping by Elizabeth Garcia.