Images

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

A interesting leaf-cutting bee, largely restricted to the heavy sand regions of the coastal plains of the Carolinas down to Florida, quite a number of other species have simliar distributions with deep sand being a linking factor. Collected by Heather Campbell and photographed by Colby Francoeur

Kruger Park! South Africa! This is the first specimen we have put up from our recent trip to survey bees in Kruger. At this point I am incompetent to tell the species apart (there are no field guides to bees Citizen), but I can tell you this is a Megachile in what appears to be the subgenus Eutricharaea.

Unknown Megachile Species from the Dominican Republic

Found in Urban Baltimore, Armistead Gardens

Megachile armaticeps, Cuba, GTMO, June 2011 Female

Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic,

Yet more uncommon Nomada from Southern Minnesota. This one, Nomada rubicunda, is one that I associate with sandy areas and is, I believe, and Agapostemon nest parasite...likely A. splendens, only a few records in Maryland, but can be relatively common in sandhill country.

What a lovely bee. This is Nomada seneciophila. A bee that had not been seen for over 20 years until I netted a set on the Pomonkey DOD base in Charles County Maryland. The host for this rare bee is unknown, but now I think I know what it is because at that same site was Andrena gardineri another rare bee and a specialist on ragwort ...

Here is the male of the very rare, Nomada seneciophila, found for the first time in Maryland, Charles County. As is often the case the males look quite different from the females. This is one of a handful of species that have modified antennae segments, with small spines, sculpting and elongations compared to other groups of Nomada.

Another rare Nomada from Southern Minnesota. This one, Nomada superba, is not so rare as Nomada graenicheri but is quite uncommon. This specimen was collected by Scott Leddy in his study of Prairie remnants in Southern Minnesota. Another new state record. Photography by Ashleigh Jacobs.

Nomada texana, male

Here we have the nest parasite of one of Puerto Rico's Centris bees. Its lays its eggs in the nests of the host, kills the hosts egg or young and eats the stores. Taxonomically its not clear what this species is but it appears to be close to (aff. = affiliated with) M. rufipes. Perhaps you, dear reader, will figure that out.

Here we have the nest parasite of one of Puerto Rico's Centris bees. Its lays its eggs in the nests of the host, kills the hosts egg or young and eats the stores. Taxonomically its not clear what this species is but it appears to be close to (aff. = affiliated with) M. rufipes. Perhaps you, dear reader, will figure that out.

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba