Images

Megachile townsendiana, female, Florida

What an interesting species. Instead of flying during the day, this species flies just before dawn and just after dusk, times where we have difficulty seeing. This species, however, forages on crepuscular and night fowering flowers, more often associated with bats and moths. Note the large eyes and ocelli.

Meganomia binghami, Bingham 's Giant, collected in South Africa by Bryan DanforthMales of many species of bee have various modifications that are not found in the females and are presumably sexually selected "“ they arose because the females preferred males with, rather than those without, these strange features.

Here we have the light colored form of Melecta albifrons, and because of that given the subspecies name albovaria. A very variable species found widespread throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, as its host is the very common species Anthophora plumipes. Collected on Grecian Isle Lesvos by Jelle Devalez as part of a study of the bees fauna of the region.

Here we have the light colored form of Melecta albifrons, and because of that given the subspecies name albovaria. A very variable species found widespread throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, as its host is the very common species Anthophora plumipes. Collected on Grecian Isle Lesvos by Jelle Devalez as part of a study of the bees fauna of the region.

Fossil Butte National Monument, WyomingNote that friends at National Wildlife Federation have dubbed this species the Billy Idol Bee. Since it has no common name I hear-by declare this species' common name to be the Billy Idol MelectaNote, however, that all the bees in the genus Melecta are nest parasites

From Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan comes one our largest Megachilids. Photograph by Brooke Alexander 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 common and large northern leafcutting bee. Nice orange scopal (pollen carrying ) hairs on the undercarriage and some interesting teeth patterns on the mandible, make this a relatively recognizable bee. This bad girl is from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan. Photographed by Colby Francouer ..shopped by Elizabeth Garcia.

Male Tools. Check out the bright white expanded tarsal segments on this very large leaf cutting bee. These mods are used to cover the female's eyes during mating. Collected during a gathering of bee heads as part of the Adirondack Mountains ATBI BioBlitz this past week.

Found at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Picture taken by Colby Francoeur.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

More leafcutters from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. In this one the big mandibled Megachile melanophaea. If it is like its kin, it likes thins in the pea family, but as usual, the basics of how it exists on the planet are only sketchily known. Why don't you do something about that viewer? Photography by Colby Francouer, shopping by Elizabeth Garcia.

Two shots of a male Megachile mendica I caught today in Green Ridge area in western Maryland.

Two shots of a male Megachile mendica I caught today in Green Ridge area in western Maryland.

Many of the Megachile are pea lovers and this one is no exception. A spring member of the Chalicodoma subgenus. Collected by Jelle Devalez as part of his studies of the islands of Greece. Photography by Brooke Alexander.

The male of Megachile mucida, this is one of the leafcutter bees, Collected by Heather Campbell in the Southern Pines area of North Carolina.

No king every arrayed so well as this Apple Bark Borer - Synanthedon pyri - One of the clearwings - Found today in Beltsville, MD, what we pass up in our little walks in the woods!

Eggs, Harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica, a common pest of brassicas, these were raised by the Weber USDA lab at Beltsville, Maryland

Mushroom species, unknown, approximately 15 mm across the top on a rotting log,September 21, 2012, Beltsville, MD

Great Basin National Park. Still processing photos from our big survey of bees of U.S. parks. In this case, there was a lovely mutillid wasp, (velvet ant) in the sample. Oddly the female's hair color shifted between the shots....Not clear why.

Wicked Wasp Week. All week, All wasps. Witchy. Muttilids. Ah, here is one, such a group you would not want to meet if they were 10 feet tall. Check out the tarsal comb on this one from Great Basin National Park in Utah....perhaps used to pick the pieces of its victims out of its teeth.

Here is a short 3 picture series of 3 Mylabris blister beetles from Kruger National Park, where they are often found on tree flowers. I had the unfortunate experience of storing a bunch of these in my pocket while in the bush. Later that night my upper thigh was covered in large blisters. Be warned.