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USGS Bee Lab at the Eastern Ecological Science Center images.

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Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa, Hepatica, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa, Hepatica, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa, Hepatica, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman

Hepatica nobilis - Roundlobe Hepatica. Delicate, an early marker of spring, understory species. Specimen collected by and picture taken by Helen Lowe Metzman.

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Heriades leavitti, m, back, Dorchester Co, MD
Heriades leavitti, m, back, Dorchester Co, MD
Heriades leavitti, m, back, Dorchester Co, MD

A tiny be, this one found in the flat marshy landscape of Dorchester County, Maryland. There is a pair of the species Heriades leavitti and Heriades variolosa both appear to be essentially impossible to tell apart in the female form, but in the mail form there very clear differences underneath the abdomen.

A tiny be, this one found in the flat marshy landscape of Dorchester County, Maryland. There is a pair of the species Heriades leavitti and Heriades variolosa both appear to be essentially impossible to tell apart in the female form, but in the mail form there very clear differences underneath the abdomen.

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Heriades leavitti, m, side, Dorchester Co, MD
Heriades leavitti, m, side, Dorchester Co, MD
Heriades leavitti, m, side, Dorchester Co, MD

A tiny bee, this one found in the flat marshy landscape of Dorchester County, Maryland. There is a pair of the species Heriades leavitti and Heriades variolosa both appear to be impossible to tell apart in the female form, but in the male form there are clear differences underneath the abdomen.

A tiny bee, this one found in the flat marshy landscape of Dorchester County, Maryland. There is a pair of the species Heriades leavitti and Heriades variolosa both appear to be impossible to tell apart in the female form, but in the male form there are clear differences underneath the abdomen.

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Holcopasites heliopsis, U, back, Maryland, Anne Arundel County
Holcopasites heliopsis, U, back, Maryland, Anne Arundel County
Holcopasites heliopsis, U, back, Maryland, Anne Arundel County

New state record, collected by Jelle Devalez in a sand pit in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Nearest other record is in Illinois!

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Homopteran of some kind
Homopteran of some kind
Homopteran of some kind

Random Homopteran. Prpobably taken with out 10x modified lens. No notes, darn it.

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Epeolus bifasciatus, F, Side, SD, Pennington County
Epeolus bifasciatus, F, Side, SD, Pennington County
Epeolus bifasciatus, F, Side, SD, Pennington County

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

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Epeolus erigeronis, M, Face, NC, Moore County
Epeolus erigeronis, M, Face, NC, Moore County
Epeolus erigeronis, M, Face, NC, Moore County

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

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

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Epeolus howardi, back, Caroline Co., MD
Epeolus howardi, back, Caroline Co., MD
Epeolus howardi, back, Caroline Co., MD

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.

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.

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Epeolus lectoides, m, face, Dorchester Co, MD
Epeolus lectoides, m, face, Dorchester Co, MD
Epeolus lectoides, m, face, Dorchester Co, MD

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.

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Eucera aragalli, f, face, Pennington Co, South Dakota
Eucera aragalli, f, face, Pennington Co, South Dakota
Eucera aragalli, f, face, Pennington Co, South Dakota

That Badlands...of South Dakota. One of my favorite places and filled with bees! Here is Eucera aragalli from Badlands National Park. Juking on those colors. Photography by Dejen Mengis.

That Badlands...of South Dakota. One of my favorite places and filled with bees! Here is Eucera aragalli from Badlands National Park. Juking on those colors. Photography by Dejen Mengis.

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Eucera aragalli, f, face, South Dakota, Pennington Co
Eucera aragalli, f, face, South Dakota, Pennington Co
Eucera aragalli, f, face, South Dakota, Pennington Co

A beautiful spring Eucera from Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Eucera are almost always buff bees. Photograph by Dejen Mengis. 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.

A beautiful spring Eucera from Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Eucera are almost always buff bees. Photograph by Dejen Mengis. 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.

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Eucera dubitata, F, Face, OH, Washington County
Eucera dubitata, F, Face, OH, Washington County
Eucera dubitata, F, Face, OH, Washington County

An uncommon spring Eucerine bee, in this case, from SE Ohio near the West Virginia border. Collected by MaLisa Spring and photographed by Brooke Alexander.

An uncommon spring Eucerine bee, in this case, from SE Ohio near the West Virginia border. Collected by MaLisa Spring and photographed by Brooke Alexander.

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Honeybee drone, m, side, MD, pg county
Honeybee drone, m, side, MD, pg county
Honeybee drone, m, side, MD, pg county

DRONE! Apis mellifera male plundered from Dennis vanEngelsdorp's Lab. Washed and blown dried, buff. Photo by Sue Boo, interlab spy. 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.

DRONE! Apis mellifera male plundered from Dennis vanEngelsdorp's Lab. Washed and blown dried, buff. Photo by Sue Boo, interlab spy. 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.

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Hoplitis anthocopoides, f, side, Washington Co. Maryland
Hoplitis anthocopoides, f, side, Washington Co. Maryland
Hoplitis anthocopoides, f, side, Washington Co. Maryland

Hoplitis anthocopoides - relatively recently introduced species into North America, this is a bee who specializes in the equally introduced plant Vipers Bugloss (Echium vulgare).

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Hoplitis fulgida, m, back, Mariposa CA
Hoplitis fulgida, m, back, Mariposa CA
Hoplitis fulgida, m, back, Mariposa CA

The equally bright but skinny version of Hoplitis fulgida. More bees from Yosemite National Park in California by Claire Kremen's group. Photo by Anders Croft.

The equally bright but skinny version of Hoplitis fulgida. More bees from Yosemite National Park in California by Claire Kremen's group. Photo by Anders Croft.

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Hoplitis fulgida, m, face, Mariposa CA
Hoplitis fulgida, m, face, Mariposa CA
Hoplitis fulgida, m, face, Mariposa CA

The equally bright but skinny version of Hoplitis fulgida. More bees from Yosemite National Park in California by Claire Kremen's group. Photo by Anders Croft.

The equally bright but skinny version of Hoplitis fulgida. More bees from Yosemite National Park in California by Claire Kremen's group. Photo by Anders Croft.

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Hoplitis pilosifrons, eastern neck nwr, kent, md, back
Hoplitis pilosifrons, eastern neck nwr, kent, md, back
Hoplitis pilosifrons, eastern neck nwr, kent, md, back

The Blue-eyed Bee. Hoplitis pilosifrons. One of the Megachilidae...they tuck pollen under their abdomen to carry to their nests rather than on their legs like the classic honey bee model. Collected at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge ...a refuge not created for bees, but now embracing their bee communities with plantings and management.

The Blue-eyed Bee. Hoplitis pilosifrons. One of the Megachilidae...they tuck pollen under their abdomen to carry to their nests rather than on their legs like the classic honey bee model. Collected at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge ...a refuge not created for bees, but now embracing their bee communities with plantings and management.

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Hoplitis simplex, m, side, Charles Co, MD
Hoplitis simplex, m, side, Charles Co, MD
Hoplitis simplex, m, side, Charles Co, MD

A small, hole nesting bee, collected in Charles County Maryland, Hoplitis simplex is uncommonly found and is a specialist on the plant genus Phacelia. Bee specialists such as this little Hoplitis are fundamentally linked to the world's plant biodiversity...not Phacelia...no H. simplex. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

A small, hole nesting bee, collected in Charles County Maryland, Hoplitis simplex is uncommonly found and is a specialist on the plant genus Phacelia. Bee specialists such as this little Hoplitis are fundamentally linked to the world's plant biodiversity...not Phacelia...no H. simplex. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

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Hoplitis spoliata, f, face, pwrc, md
Hoplitis spoliata, f, face, pwrc, md
Hoplitis spoliata, f, face, pwrc, md

A large Hoplitis, that occurs throughout most of North America East of the Rockies. Occurs in low numbers at most locations, in the Mid-Atlantic is is a June bee and associated with what would appear to be mostly Woody blooming plants. Something to consider in your planting pollinator plans... don't forget the blooming shrubs and small trees.

A large Hoplitis, that occurs throughout most of North America East of the Rockies. Occurs in low numbers at most locations, in the Mid-Atlantic is is a June bee and associated with what would appear to be mostly Woody blooming plants. Something to consider in your planting pollinator plans... don't forget the blooming shrubs and small trees.

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Hoplitis tigrina, M, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

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Hoplitis tigrina, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

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