Images

Joan Milam collected this particular Lasioglossum. Darn if it doesn't look like all the rest of them. Photography 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.

A bee of western North America. This one was captured in Bryce Canyon National Park, one of the larger "sensu strictu" group of Lasioglossums.

Here is a bee that clearly loves woodlands: Lasioglossum versans. In the obscure morphological vernacular of tiny sweat bees, I identify it by its tiny bulging purple "nose" (supraclypeus) and its complete lack of a hair fan on the base of T1.

Often the most common Lasioglossum at a location in the East. This is Lasioglossum versatum. While common it has the sad trait of sometimes looking like L. trigeminum or L. callidum or L. adimirandum. In isolation they all seem so separable, but since they often occur at the same site and have a tendency to look slightly similar it can be a nightmare.

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.

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.

Lindernia dubia, false pimpernel, one of numerous low growing flowering plants that feed the many tiny bees that live out there, that we don't pay any attention to. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Lipotriches , Plain Sweat Bee , collected in AustraliaThis is one of the bees in which the males are known to form sleeping aggregations "“ small groups to dozens of individuals clustering together on the same twig late in the afternoon and remaining there until after dawn.

Lipotriches , Plain Sweat Bee , collected in AustraliaThis is one of the bees in which the males are known to form sleeping aggregations "“ small groups to dozens of individuals clustering together on the same twig late in the afternoon and remaining there until after dawn.

Lithurgus tibialis: a fascinating species in that it is much smaller and looks quiet different from other Lithurgus species occurring in Europe and has the peculiar preference for flowers of Chrozophora, a quite unusual pollen source.., but from studies in Greece it is clear that the females almost solely visit this plant and collect its pollen.

Look in the bottom right hand side of the seedbox (Ludwigia alternifolia) pod we opened up.