Halictus poeyi and its counterpart Halictus ligatus are 2 of the most common bees in Eastern North America. H. poeyi is runs to the south and H. ligatus to the north. There is enough overlap in characters that at this point they are considered indistinguishable. These species are well in the known range of only H. poeyi in St.
Images
USGS Bee Lab at the Eastern Ecological Science Center images.
Halictus poeyi and its counterpart Halictus ligatus are 2 of the most common bees in Eastern North America. H. poeyi is runs to the south and H. ligatus to the north. There is enough overlap in characters that at this point they are considered indistinguishable. These species are well in the known range of only H. poeyi in St.
Hallomenus scapularis, dorsal, Turkey Run, Fairfax Co., VA
Hallomenus scapularis, dorsal, Turkey Run, Fairfax Co., VAA series of 6 pictures of 3 species of very uncommon beetles that are new records for the region from George Washington Memorial Parkway unit of the National Park Service. Collected by Brent Steury. Hallomenus scapularis is a beetle of polypore fungi. There are 2 color forms which may or may not be different species.
Hallomenus scapularis, dorsal, Turkey Run, Fairfax Co., VA
Hallomenus scapularis, dorsal, Turkey Run, Fairfax Co., VAA series of 6 pictures of 3 species of very uncommon beetles that are new records for the region from George Washington Memorial Parkway unit of the National Park Service. Collected by Brent Steury. Hallomenus scapularis is a beetle of polypore fungi. There are 2 color forms which may or may not be different species.
Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe MetzmanHoustonia longifolia, one of the bluets of the region. Tiny flowers have tiny bees going to them. Specimen and photographs by Helen Lowe Metzman.
Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe MetzmanHoustonia longifolia, one of the bluets of the region. Tiny flowers have tiny bees going to them. Specimen and photographs by Helen Lowe Metzman.
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Face, NY, Hawksnest Road Junction
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Face, NY, Hawksnest Road JunctionAnother set of shots of a masked bee from the Adirondack Mountains. This is a northerish bee...it extends south, but only along the Appalachians. Most of the females (as in this one) have a bit of yellow on the tip of the clypeus. Not uncommon, look for them on flat topped flowers such as Queen Anne's lace. The look is more wasp than bee however.
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Face, NY, Hawksnest Road Junction
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Face, NY, Hawksnest Road JunctionAnother set of shots of a masked bee from the Adirondack Mountains. This is a northerish bee...it extends south, but only along the Appalachians. Most of the females (as in this one) have a bit of yellow on the tip of the clypeus. Not uncommon, look for them on flat topped flowers such as Queen Anne's lace. The look is more wasp than bee however.
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Side, NY, Hawksnest Road Junctuion
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Side, NY, Hawksnest Road JunctuionAnother set of shots of a masked bee from the Adirondack Mountains. This is a northerish bee...it extends south, but only along the Appalachians. Most of the females (as in this one) have a bit of yellow on the tip of the clypeus. Not uncommon, look for them on flat topped flowers such as Queen Anne's lace. The look is more wasp than bee however.
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Side, NY, Hawksnest Road Junctuion
Hylaeus annulatus, F, Side, NY, Hawksnest Road JunctuionAnother set of shots of a masked bee from the Adirondack Mountains. This is a northerish bee...it extends south, but only along the Appalachians. Most of the females (as in this one) have a bit of yellow on the tip of the clypeus. Not uncommon, look for them on flat topped flowers such as Queen Anne's lace. The look is more wasp than bee however.
The genus Hylaeus is referred to as the Masked Bee group. Most species have yellow vaguely mask-like yellow/white markings on their face. Not this one. It is distinctive in the absence of yellow. Looks like a wasp, does it not? This is because is carries its pollen and nectar loads internally and so the normal hairiness of most bees can be dispensed with.
The genus Hylaeus is referred to as the Masked Bee group. Most species have yellow vaguely mask-like yellow/white markings on their face. Not this one. It is distinctive in the absence of yellow. Looks like a wasp, does it not? This is because is carries its pollen and nectar loads internally and so the normal hairiness of most bees can be dispensed with.
New State Record for Maryland, April 2012 Collected on Willow blooms in Dorchester County....a very rarely collected bee east of the Mississippi. I don't know any recent records
New State Record for Maryland, April 2012 Collected on Willow blooms in Dorchester County....a very rarely collected bee east of the Mississippi. I don't know any recent records
Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, non-native species, collected by Stephanie Wilson
Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, non-native species, collected by Stephanie Wilson
Colors. You know, bees are so interesting sometimes. Here is Hylaeus pictipes. Jason Gibbs found this species up in Ontario, Canada where it did not belong since it is a bee of the Old World.
Colors. You know, bees are so interesting sometimes. Here is Hylaeus pictipes. Jason Gibbs found this species up in Ontario, Canada where it did not belong since it is a bee of the Old World.
Icteranthidium grohmanni, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Mytilene
Icteranthidium grohmanni, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, MytileneHere is a common late summer species of the Grecian Isles. Often found on flowering brambles, asters and other summer flowers. This specimen was collected by Jelle Devalez as part of ongoing studies of the bees in this bee rich part of the world. Photographs by Brooke Alexander.
Icteranthidium grohmanni, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Mytilene
Icteranthidium grohmanni, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, MytileneHere is a common late summer species of the Grecian Isles. Often found on flowering brambles, asters and other summer flowers. This specimen was collected by Jelle Devalez as part of ongoing studies of the bees in this bee rich part of the world. Photographs by Brooke Alexander.
Impatiens capensis, Jewelweed, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Impatiens capensis, Jewelweed, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe MetzmanImpatiens capensis, Common or spotted Jewelweed. A lover of wet spots, its vegetation is viscous, wet, and used as a wash when you may have been contacted by Poison Ivy. The flowers are total bumble bee bait ...just the right size and the spur at the back end is full of nectar. The orange color is also highly attractive to hummingbirds as a bonus.
Impatiens capensis, Jewelweed, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Impatiens capensis, Jewelweed, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe MetzmanImpatiens capensis, Common or spotted Jewelweed. A lover of wet spots, its vegetation is viscous, wet, and used as a wash when you may have been contacted by Poison Ivy. The flowers are total bumble bee bait ...just the right size and the spur at the back end is full of nectar. The orange color is also highly attractive to hummingbirds as a bonus.
Intersex Bombus bimaculatus, gyn, back2, washington, oh
Intersex Bombus bimaculatus, gyn, back2, washington, ohAs happens rarely in bees, this bee exhibits both characters of males and females, with bilateral asymmetry. Found by MaLisa Spring in Marietta, Ohio as part of her studies of the bees or the region, which in addition to this species discovered several new state records and rare bees.
Intersex Bombus bimaculatus, gyn, back2, washington, oh
Intersex Bombus bimaculatus, gyn, back2, washington, ohAs happens rarely in bees, this bee exhibits both characters of males and females, with bilateral asymmetry. Found by MaLisa Spring in Marietta, Ohio as part of her studies of the bees or the region, which in addition to this species discovered several new state records and rare bees.
A series of shots of an unknown jumping spider from the Patuxent Bee Laboratory. Wish I knew more about spider id......
A series of shots of an unknown jumping spider from the Patuxent Bee Laboratory. Wish I knew more about spider id......
Unknown Jumping spider, August 2012, Beltsville, Maryland, Benjamin A Coulter helped narrow this down to perhaps an immature Thiodina sylvana
Unknown Jumping spider, August 2012, Beltsville, Maryland, Benjamin A Coulter helped narrow this down to perhaps an immature Thiodina sylvana
Catterpillar of Endangered Karner Blue butterfly Lycaeides melissa samuelis, almost ready to pupate ...a.k.a. a fatty
Catterpillar of Endangered Karner Blue butterfly Lycaeides melissa samuelis, almost ready to pupate ...a.k.a. a fatty
Pupae of endangered Karner Blue Butterfly Lycaeides melissa samuelis
Pupae of endangered Karner Blue Butterfly Lycaeides melissa samuelis
Kleidocerys resedae., U, Back, Maryland, Dorchester County
Kleidocerys resedae., U, Back, Maryland, Dorchester CountyBirch Catkin Bug (Kleidocerys resedae) on a fish hook, Dorchester County, Maryland, lovely color and sculpturing patterns. Determination by Thijs de Graaf
Kleidocerys resedae., U, Back, Maryland, Dorchester County
Kleidocerys resedae., U, Back, Maryland, Dorchester CountyBirch Catkin Bug (Kleidocerys resedae) on a fish hook, Dorchester County, Maryland, lovely color and sculpturing patterns. Determination by Thijs de Graaf
More shots of a shiny bright blue/purple Hoplitis fulgida. This one from Yosemite National Park, collected by Claire Kremen's group. This one is a female.
More shots of a shiny bright blue/purple Hoplitis fulgida. This one from Yosemite National Park, collected by Claire Kremen's group. This one is a female.
A large Hoplitis from the West Coast. Specifically from Yosemite National Park. Am still mystified by this genus, they are always around in small numbers, but never seem to be a "player" like some of the other genera, if you know what I mean. The specimens were collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio - Study led by L.
A large Hoplitis from the West Coast. Specifically from Yosemite National Park. Am still mystified by this genus, they are always around in small numbers, but never seem to be a "player" like some of the other genera, if you know what I mean. The specimens were collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio - Study led by L.
Sometimes male bees depart from the standard antennae shapes for some sort of new performance specs. No body seems to be studying why this might be, but there is substantive research on how incredible antennae can be at detecting just a few molecules.
Sometimes male bees depart from the standard antennae shapes for some sort of new performance specs. No body seems to be studying why this might be, but there is substantive research on how incredible antennae can be at detecting just a few molecules.
Hoplitis truncata, F, face, West Virginia, Hardy County
Hoplitis truncata, F, face, West Virginia, Hardy CountyWest Virginia, Hardy County