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USGS Bee Lab at the Eastern Ecological Science Center images.

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Melissodes druriella, F, Side, VA, Norfolk
Melissodes druriella, F, Side, VA, Norfolk
Melissodes druriella, F, Side, VA, Norfolk

Captured in Southeast Virginia by students at Old Dominion University. Note that this specimens conforms to more interior specimens but has much less extensive presence of dark hairs on the Mesepisternum.

Captured in Southeast Virginia by students at Old Dominion University. Note that this specimens conforms to more interior specimens but has much less extensive presence of dark hairs on the Mesepisternum.

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Melissodes lupina,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes lupina,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes lupina,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY

There are many species of Melissodes and as you can see from this male, they aren't called Long-horn Bees for nothing. All or almost all of these species are summer to fall bees and most are fond to very fond of flowers in the Asteraceae family ... the fall composites by other names.

There are many species of Melissodes and as you can see from this male, they aren't called Long-horn Bees for nothing. All or almost all of these species are summer to fall bees and most are fond to very fond of flowers in the Asteraceae family ... the fall composites by other names.

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Megachile integrella, F, Side, NC, Moore County
Megachile integrella, F, Side, NC, Moore County
Megachile integrella, F, Side, NC, Moore County

Darn it. As I was loading this picture I realized that we already had a picture of this very same uncommon specimen...That said, I like this shot better, additionally Wayne Boo, the photographer in this case did not cut the edge of the wing off as in the other one.

Darn it. As I was loading this picture I realized that we already had a picture of this very same uncommon specimen...That said, I like this shot better, additionally Wayne Boo, the photographer in this case did not cut the edge of the wing off as in the other one.

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Megachile lanata, female, face
Megachile lanata, female, face
Megachile lanata, female, face

Megachile lanata, female, GTMO, Cuba, A species originally from Africa, but now present in many of the tropical parts of the world

Megachile lanata, female, GTMO, Cuba, A species originally from Africa, but now present in many of the tropical parts of the world

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Megachile melanophaea, f, left, Mariposa, CA
Megachile melanophaea, f, left, Mariposa, CA
Megachile melanophaea, f, left, Mariposa, CA

A sharp looking Megachile from Yosemite National Park. Megachile melanophaea is a bee that runs all across the arctic, the northern parts of the East and down the mountains in the West. Unlike many northern species is does not seem to be interested in the Appalachians.

A sharp looking Megachile from Yosemite National Park. Megachile melanophaea is a bee that runs all across the arctic, the northern parts of the East and down the mountains in the West. Unlike many northern species is does not seem to be interested in the Appalachians.

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Megachile melanophaea, side
Megachile melanophaea, side
Megachile melanophaea, side

Here is a bee from Acadia National Park in Hancock County Maine. The park is one of the few places that has information about its historic bee populations., Resulting in one of the very very few instances of a historic record of any kind of bee populations in North America. An Illustration of How Poorly Known the bee fauna of the continent is currently.

Here is a bee from Acadia National Park in Hancock County Maine. The park is one of the few places that has information about its historic bee populations., Resulting in one of the very very few instances of a historic record of any kind of bee populations in North America. An Illustration of How Poorly Known the bee fauna of the continent is currently.

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Megachile melanopyga, F, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Mytilene
Megachile melanopyga, F, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Mytilene
Megachile melanopyga, F, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Mytilene

Megachile melanopyga: This species has two generations in a year, with the 2nd generation being very abundant on autumn asters. Collected by the fabulous Jelle Devalez on the mysterious Lesvos Island in Greece. Photo taken by Sara Guerrieri.

Megachile melanopyga: This species has two generations in a year, with the 2nd generation being very abundant on autumn asters. Collected by the fabulous Jelle Devalez on the mysterious Lesvos Island in Greece. Photo taken by Sara Guerrieri.

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Megachile mendica, f, face, Pr. George's Co. Maryland
Megachile mendica, f, face, Pr. George's Co. Maryland
Megachile mendica, f, face, Pr. George's Co. Maryland

Leaf-cutter. The most common leaf-cutter in most of Eastern North America. It carries pollen on the underside of its abdomen and those hairs are distinctly tinged with orange, something found in only a few other eastern Megachile. Photograph by Amanda Robinson.

Leaf-cutter. The most common leaf-cutter in most of Eastern North America. It carries pollen on the underside of its abdomen and those hairs are distinctly tinged with orange, something found in only a few other eastern Megachile. Photograph by Amanda Robinson.

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Megachile mendica, f, right side, Pr. George's Co. Maryland
Megachile mendica, f, right side, Pr. George's Co. Maryland
Megachile mendica, f, right side, Pr. George's Co. Maryland

Leaf-cutter. The most common leaf-cutter in most of Eastern North America. It carries pollen on the underside of its abdomen and those hairs are distinctly tinged with orange, something found in only a few other eastern Megachile. Photograph by Amanda Robinson.

Leaf-cutter. The most common leaf-cutter in most of Eastern North America. It carries pollen on the underside of its abdomen and those hairs are distinctly tinged with orange, something found in only a few other eastern Megachile. Photograph by Amanda Robinson.

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Megachile mendica, m, back, prince george's co, md
Megachile mendica, m, back, prince george's co, md
Megachile mendica, m, back, prince george's co, md

The most common eastern native Megachile, Megachile mendica. In this case a male, oft confused with M. brevis. Photography by Amanda Robinson.

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Megachile mucida, M, Face, NC, Moore Co
Megachile mucida, M, Face, NC, Moore Co
Megachile mucida, M, Face, NC, Moore Co

The male of Megachile mucida, this is one of the leafcutter bees, here even the male has a massive mandible, though it does not involve itself in making or tending nests....note the forelegs which are tucked under the front of the bee, these are widened greatly and are used to cover the eyes of the female when mating.

The male of Megachile mucida, this is one of the leafcutter bees, here even the male has a massive mandible, though it does not involve itself in making or tending nests....note the forelegs which are tucked under the front of the bee, these are widened greatly and are used to cover the eyes of the female when mating.

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Megachile pugnata pomona, m, right, Mariposa, CA
Megachile pugnata pomona, m, right, Mariposa, CA
Megachile pugnata pomona, m, right, Mariposa, CA

A large hole nesting leaf cutter. This is a male Megachile pugnata (subspecies pomona) from Yosemite. Check out the greatly expanded pale segments of the front legs. These are used in mating and lain over the females eyes. People make up all sorts of stories with that information, but we really don't know that details about why that is a useful feature.

A large hole nesting leaf cutter. This is a male Megachile pugnata (subspecies pomona) from Yosemite. Check out the greatly expanded pale segments of the front legs. These are used in mating and lain over the females eyes. People make up all sorts of stories with that information, but we really don't know that details about why that is a useful feature.

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Megachile pugnata, f, face, National Arboretum, DC
Megachile pugnata, f, face, National Arboretum, DC
Megachile pugnata, f, face, National Arboretum, DC

The magnificent mandibled Megachile pugnata. Look how long and wide those mandibles are. Its not clear to me why this species requires much longer mandibles than others, it appears to not be cutting out larger pieces of leaves for its nests, but perhaps it is the type, processing and location of the leaf material that is important.

The magnificent mandibled Megachile pugnata. Look how long and wide those mandibles are. Its not clear to me why this species requires much longer mandibles than others, it appears to not be cutting out larger pieces of leaves for its nests, but perhaps it is the type, processing and location of the leaf material that is important.

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Megachile pugnata, f, side, National Arboretum, DC
Megachile pugnata, f, side, National Arboretum, DC
Megachile pugnata, f, side, National Arboretum, DC

The magnificent mandibled Megachile pugnata. Look how long and wide those mandibles are. Its not clear to me why this species requires much longer mandibles than others, it appears to not be cutting out larger pieces of leaves for its nests, but perhaps it is the type, processing and location of the leaf material that is important.

The magnificent mandibled Megachile pugnata. Look how long and wide those mandibles are. Its not clear to me why this species requires much longer mandibles than others, it appears to not be cutting out larger pieces of leaves for its nests, but perhaps it is the type, processing and location of the leaf material that is important.

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Megachile relativa, female, right, mariposa, Ca, 2017-07-13-16.46
Megachile relativa, female, right, mariposa, Ca, 2017-07-13-16.46
Megachile relativa, female, right, mariposa, Ca, 2017-07-13-16.46

Megachile relativa. Pretty ubiquitous in North America though it appears to be absent from most of the Midwest. The orange pollen carrying hairs on the underside of the abdomen narrow things down in terms of the various Megachile species, bug there are a few species that look very similar....particularly the introduced Megachile centuncularis.

Megachile relativa. Pretty ubiquitous in North America though it appears to be absent from most of the Midwest. The orange pollen carrying hairs on the underside of the abdomen narrow things down in terms of the various Megachile species, bug there are a few species that look very similar....particularly the introduced Megachile centuncularis.

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Megachile rubi, M, Side, NC, Moore County
Megachile rubi, M, Side, NC, Moore County
Megachile rubi, M, Side, NC, Moore County

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

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

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Megachile sculpturalis, f, face, md, kent county
Megachile sculpturalis, f, face, md, kent county
Megachile sculpturalis, f, face, md, kent county

Magnificent, though invasive. This bee originates in the South China, Korea, Japan part of the world, where it happily feeds its babies pollen from leguminous plants, particularly woody ones, including Kudzu vine. It has been introduced into North America now and spread as far as Colorado, likely will go all the way to the West Coast.

Magnificent, though invasive. This bee originates in the South China, Korea, Japan part of the world, where it happily feeds its babies pollen from leguminous plants, particularly woody ones, including Kudzu vine. It has been introduced into North America now and spread as far as Colorado, likely will go all the way to the West Coast.

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Megachile sculpturalis, f, side, md, kent county
Megachile sculpturalis, f, side, md, kent county
Megachile sculpturalis, f, side, md, kent county

Magnificent, though invasive. This bee originates in the South China, Korea, Japan part of the world, where it happily feeds its babies pollen from leguminous plants, particularly woody ones, including Kudzu vine. It has been introduced into North America now and spread as far as Colorado, likely will go all the way to the West Coast.

Magnificent, though invasive. This bee originates in the South China, Korea, Japan part of the world, where it happily feeds its babies pollen from leguminous plants, particularly woody ones, including Kudzu vine. It has been introduced into North America now and spread as far as Colorado, likely will go all the way to the West Coast.

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Megachile species
Megachile species
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