Images

Entylia carinata, arrayed in pits and prominances, the Keeled Treehopper is a mighty beast up close. Collected in Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Entylia carinata, arrayed in pits and prominances, the Keeled Treehopper is a mighty beast up close. Collected in Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Plucked while foraging on frost asters in Beltsville, Maryland, You can still see the dusting of pollen on this species. Thanks to Chris Thompsons for the ID

The poster child for rare bees of concern in North America. This is Epeoloides pilosula, collected on David Wagner's study of the conservation landscape of transmission lines. This is a nest parasite of Macropis oil bees. In this study they found both M. nuda and M. ciliata uncommon bees in themselves.

While the host is away the Epeolus will play. This is E. autumnalis, collected by Jessica Rykken in Massachusetts. It does not gather pollen. Rather, the female sneaketh into the nest of a Colletes while it is out gathering more food and inserts its egg into the wall of the nest.

While the host is away the Epeolus will play. This is E. autumnalis, collected by Jessica Rykken in Massachusetts. It does not gather pollen. Rather, the female sneaketh into the nest of a Colletes while it is out gathering more food and inserts its egg into the wall of the nest.

A nest parasite of Colletes bees, this sharp looking, heavily armored Epeolus bifasciatus was found in Badlands National Park in South Dakota

A nest parasite of Colletes bees, this sharp looking, heavily armored Epeolus bifasciatus was found in Badlands National Park in South Dakota

This very very rare bee invades the nests of bees in the genus Colletes. Captured by Heather Campbell in the Sandhills of North Carolina and photographed by Amber JoyceCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Photographer: Sam Droege, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

Rare, Rare, Rare. This Epeolus howardi, a nest parasite of one of the Cellophane Bees in the genus Colletes. Which species of Colletes, you ask, as is more often the case than not ... we don't know. This bee has only been collected a handful of times in the Mid-Atlantic states and that is about all we know.

A nest parasite...an invader of other bees nest's ... eggs are laid and the host's young killed and food eaten. In this case the host if Colletes latitarsis. This rather beat up specimen comes from Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge....paid for with lots of donations to the mosquito population on the refuge. Photography by Ashleigh Jacobs.

A nest parasite...an invader of other bees nest's ... eggs are laid and the host's young killed and food eaten. In this case the host if Colletes latitarsis. This rather beat up specimen comes from Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge....paid for with lots of donations to the mosquito population on the refuge. Photography by Ashleigh Jacobs.

Collected in South Dakota in Badlands National Park, this tiny nest parasite of Colletes is the first record for the state. Amber Reese took the pictureCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

A nest parasite of Colletes bees, this is perhaps the most common of the Epeolus species in eastern North America. This species main target is likely the common fall Cellophane Bee Colletes simulans. Photograph by Brooke Alexander.Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia...A pretty little nest parasite of Colletes bees

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia...A pretty little nest parasite of Colletes bees

A small heath, the trailing arbutus. Often thought to be rare, but more often than not simply overlooked. Attracts pollinators like the rest of the grouip. Epigaea repens. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

A small heath, the trailing arbutus. Often thought to be rare, but more often than not simply overlooked. Attracts pollinators like the rest of the grouip. Epigaea repens. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ahhhhhh, something new under the sun. Alma Solis a USDA entomologist showed me these specimens of the smallish moth Epitamyra thermalis. After finding essentially nothing about these moths and the super cool sound structure on these male's wings I wrote Alma and she replied: "Sam, you are venturing into scientific NEW information.

Eriotremex formosanus, A giant introduced horntail from Asia found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

Rattlesnake Master. What a lovely name for Eryngium yuccifolium. Not so common in the wild,but people are planting it regularly now and it usually yields a lovely show of bees on the blooms. Photo and plant by Helen Lowe Metzman.