Images

Dianthidium simile, female, Michigan, July 2011, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Dianthidium simile, female, Michigan, July 2011, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Dutchman's Breeches. Just another wild variant in the dance of plant with bee. Wouldn't you like to see an evolutionary time lapse of the development of this flower as it couples in just the right way with bumblebees; one rewarded with an exchange of gametes and the other with food for it young, whilst leaving the other pollinators to lean against the gym wall.

Dieunomia heteropoda, female , Anne Arundel County, Maryland, September, Only known colony in the state

Dieunomia heteropoda, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, from a nesting aggregation in a sand pit, the only one in the state I am aware of.

A very cool find. This is a lovely male Dieunomia nevadensis. It was found in Maryland at one of the Chaney Sand Mines. They kindly scraped a section of the site and sure enough it was colonized by all sorts of cool sand bees. No sand...no sand bees. That sort of thing. This one is particularly noteworth because the nearest record was from North Carolina.

In full bloom this is more of a lavender/blue flower, but not one that people pay much mind to. Diodia teres, often called Poorjoe, is a plant associated with highly disturbed, often sandy dry sites. Does well, I have collected bees off it, but not enough to make much of a study of it. This specimen was collected and photographed by Helen Lowe Metzman.

In full bloom this is more of a lavender/blue flower, but not one that people pay much mind to. Diodia teres, often called Poorjoe, is a plant associated with highly disturbed, often sandy dry sites. Does well, I have collected bees off it, but not enough to make much of a study of it. This specimen was collected and photographed by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Here is a 2 picture series of persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) flowers. Some trees are male (staminate) and some are female (pistilate). The easy to come by literature of the web searchers says they are pollinated by insects and the wind. I have never collected off them (too high up and am guessing not super attractive to bees).

The male flowers of the local persimmon tree (Diospyros virginiana). This does not seem to be much of a bee tree in terms of pollen and nectar use by bees, given that male and female trees are separate, there must be wind or other transport for pollination. Specimen and pictures by Helen Lowe Metzman.

A large to huge, long-faced bee from Chile. The only member of its genus and strongly associated with the residual and now relictual beech forests of this country.

A large to huge, long-faced bee from Chile. The only member of its genus and strongly associated with the residual and now relictual beech forests of this country.

Ophiogomphus susbehcha, collected by Richard Orr along the Potomac River, super rare snaketail species

Ophiogomphus susbehcha, collected by Richard Orr along the Potomac River, super rare snaketail species

Drepanaporus collaris, Dominican Republic, La Vega, determination by Pompilid guru Juanita Rodriguez

Drepanaporus collaris, Dominican Republic, La Vega, determination by Pompilid guru Juanita Rodriguez

One of about 3 Monarda specialist in Eastern North America. This uncommon bee was collected in Wisconsin, likely by Denny Johnson and photographed by Amber Reese. A northern species and not one we have had any experience collecting or observing. That said, it could occur in Maryland if people spend more time collecting off of Bee Balm.

An uncommonly collected species whose status is largely unknow because people don't spend enough time swimming in the mud to look at the bees coming to Pickerelweed. There are 3 eastern uncommon species all from different genera who are specialists on this plant...this is one, and was collected in Maine by Samantha Gallagher.

An uncommonly collected species whose status is largely unknow because people don't spend enough time swimming in the mud to look at the bees coming to Pickerelweed. There are 3 eastern uncommon species all from different genera who are specialists on this plant...this is one, and was collected in Maine by Samantha Gallagher.

An uncommonly collected species whose status is largely unknow because people don't spend enough time swimming in the mud to look at the bees coming to Pickerelweed. There are 3 eastern uncommon species all from different genera who are specialists on this plant...this is one, and was collected in Maine by Samantha Gallagher.

Isle Royale, Michigan