Images

Andrena barbilabris "“ A male captured in Howard County, Picture taken by Brooke Alexander

For some reason I really like the lighting on the face of this specimen... eerie, the bee contemplating the decline of its own kind, that sort of thing. But I depart...Here is Andrena bradleyi, the Long-faced Mining Bee, a vaccinium (blueberry) specialist. If you hang out around blueberries then you might find this bee...the flowering plants that is.

As its name implies, Andrena caerulae, is a bee with a deep blue shimmer to its skin. Unlike the plain black models of most of the other 500+ species of Andrena this species stands out, making identification a bit easier.

Of the woodland oriented bees this is regionally the most common one, Andrena carlni, this male is relatively easy tp tell because of the black hairs that line the edges of the eyes and the ocelli that are set back from the back of the head. Photography by Amanda Robinson.

This is a northern / arctic species that occurs worldwide. Recent discoveries have shown its distribution extends to high elevations in West Virginia (thank you Jane).This specimen is from Maine (thank you Alison).

Andrena confederata - A male of this uncommon species found in Calvert County and photographed by Dejen Mengis.

Andrena confederata - A male of this uncommon species found in Calvert County and photographed by Dejen Mengis.

Go to the woods in the Eastern United States, find a blooming Rhododendron, look for this bee, it specializes Rhodos and Azalea pollen for its babies. Collected in Giles County (probably on a Rhododendron) by Barbara Abraham's students at Mountain Lake Biological Station.

Male Andrena cressonii from Dorchester County, Maryland

In the spring, this species (Andrena cressonii) can show up almost anywhere in the Mid-Atlantic and throughout much of the country. Common, but rarely abundant. The vibe on this male is: wide head, yellow on the clypeus and yellow in the parocular area (this is area between the central clypeus and compound eyes).

A somewhat odd position with its pollen covered (likely geranium pollen) leg out and its head cocked towards us. Photoshopping by Thistle Droege and photograph by Brooke Alexander.

Andrena dunningi. A large dark Andrena. This lovely female, in fresh plumage, is relatively easy to identify simply by the orange brown color of its body hairs along with the nearly black hairs located on its hind legs which it uses to carry pollen to its nest.

A very early spring bee, covered in pollen, collected by a homeowner in Bowie, Maryland

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From Anne Arundel County, in Maryland, this is one of but a few Andrena that come out in the Fall. Brooke Alexander was the photographer.Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

Most people don't realize how important willow trees are to our native bees in North America. They are a major pollen and nectar source early in the spring and they have more specialists than almost any other plant on the continent. Here is one of those specialists. This is Andrena nida. This bee feed it's young only the pollen from Willow.

Most people don't realize how important willow trees are to our native bees in North America. They are a major pollen and nectar source early in the spring and they have more specialists than almost any other plant on the continent. Here is one of those specialists. This is Andrena nida. This bee feed it's young only the pollen from Willow.

Andrena spiraeana is one of the set of bees in the Andrena subgenus Trachandrena. One of the characteristics of this relatively distinctive group are the deeply impressed fovea between the compound eyes and the antennae. A spring bee, I associate this species with wooded wetlands...but I may be simply mistaken on that account.

Andrena uvulariae, Female, Recently, this species was known only from the type, but work by Mike Arduser, Joan Milam, and John Ascher have resulted locating additional specimens along the the male. It appears to be a pollen specialist on Bellflowers. This specimen is approximately 100 years old from the Smithsonian collection.

This is a first in what will be a series of pictures from Claire Kremen's Lab at U.C. Berkeley. This is Andrena vanduzeei, an endemic California bee, restricted to the High Sierras. Note the lovely blue metallic notes and surrounding dark hairs. Specimens collected in Yosemite National Park. Picture by Sydney Price.

An often uncommon spring Andrena, I associate with the Appalachians, this is a male with a sweet yellow clypeus. Collected by MaLisa Spring near Marietta, Ohio. 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