Images

The Endangered Karner Blue, Lycaeides melissa samuelis, looking somewhat like a little fluffy kitten, poodle insect thing

The Endangered Karner Blue, Lycaeides melissa samuelis

A series of pictures from Silas Bossert from the National Collection at the Smithsonian. They use their own hi res camera equipment, but prefer a light background. Macronomia crocodilensis. A nomiin bee that used to lounge around in the Lipotriches genus but has recently been separated out.

Macropis ciliata - Possibly the first record for this species in about 100 years. This genus has grown very uncommon and I finally found a specimen along a rocky powerline in Washington County in a small patch of whorled loosestrife a few days ago.

Macropis ciliata - Possibly the first record for this species in about 100 years. This genus has grown very uncommon and I finally found a specimen along a rocky powerline in Washington County in a small patch of whorled loosestrife a few days ago.

A set of male and female Macropis ciliata from NH, collected by Michael Veit on transmission lines...part of a David Wagner study of bees and transmission. This bee is special. Not as common as it once was and a specialist on Lysimachia natives. These plants produce oils that the Macropis add to their pollen balls for their babies. No Lysimachia...no Macropis.

A set of male and female Macropis ciliata from NH, collected by Michael Veit on transmission lines...part of a David Wagner study of bees and transmission. This bee is special. Not as common as it once was and a specialist on Lysimachia natives. These plants produce oils that the Macropis add to their pollen balls for their babies. No Lysimachia...no Macropis.

Macropis europaea, European Oil Bee, specimen collected by Heinrich Friese in AustriaSometimes an entire group of bees develops a relationship with one group of plants. The 16 little species of Macropis Oil Bees are such a case. They only seek pollen and oil from plants within the genus Lysimachia.

Macropis europaea, European Oil Bee, specimen collected by Heinrich Friese in AustriaSometimes an entire group of bees develops a relationship with one group of plants. The 16 little species of Macropis Oil Bees are such a case. They only seek pollen and oil from plants within the genus Lysimachia.

A small bee that specializes in collecting oil along with pollen and probably some nectar from plants in the genus Lysimachia, the loosestrife's (but not the invasive garden loosestrife or purple loosestrife).

Macropis were once upon a time a much more common group, this is Macropis nuda...all are loosestrife specialists. So, it could be as simple as Loostrife plants are much less common now than they were or it could be something else. Photograph by Dejen Mengis.

Another Macropis from transmission lines from NH and MA. This species (M. nuda) is also a Lysimachia specialist and the female's bright white pollen carrying hairs and likely the hairs under the abdomen soak up oils which are used by the female to add to pollen to create the food for their young. Collected by Michael Veit and part of a study run by David Wagner.

Another Macropis from transmission lines from NH and MA. This species (M. nuda) is also a Lysimachia specialist and the female's bright white pollen carrying hairs and likely the hairs under the abdomen soak up oils which are used by the female to add to pollen to create the food for their young. Collected by Michael Veit and part of a study run by David Wagner.

Macrotera latior, female, Petrified Forest National Park, NPS, Arizona

Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park, Apache County

Late breaking new...this was identified by Don Harvey as Macrotera portalis (formerly in Perdita...now its own genus)Bee with Big Head. This is a Perdita...a male collected in Cochise County Arizona by Tim McMahon. Why such a big head. Unclear because sometimes in the same species have small heads.

An obscure bee of the desert, Martinapis luteicornis only is active early in the morning just as the sky begins to lighten. At least one paper indicates that they are specialists on Psorothamnus scoparius or the Broom Dalea.

An obscure bee of the desert, Martinapis luteicornis only is active early in the morning just as the sky begins to lighten. At least one paper indicates that they are specialists on Psorothamnus scoparius or the Broom Dalea.

I am spacing at the moment as to who lent me these species, but hopefully can track that down and correct the record. Such a lovely odd bee. It forages a dawn in the deserts of the Southwest, is big, lush and lovely. One of only 3 species. This one caught in Wilcox, AZ...probably at the Bee Course. Photographed by Dejen Mengis.

Medeola virginiana - Indian cucumber root. Yes, the root is edible and yummy. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman. 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.

Indian Cucumber Root, Medeola virginiana. I have eaten its root ...and it does taste like cucumber....you need a lot of them though, tiny. Photo and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman.