Images

Here is a series of male and female western glinting Osmia. There is a whole clade of Osmia that have thrust aside the drab dark colors of their Osmini kin for fresh look of maximum iridescence. That iridescence trends across greens and blues and purples with males often more on the green side.

Note the expanded base of the mandibles...Collected by Tim McMahon and the first state record for Maryland, Photographed by Aaman Mengis.Canon 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

Pachyprosopis cornuta, Horned Naked Bee, collected in Australia by Laurence PackerHere we have a representative of a subfamily of bees found only in Australia and nearby islands, although at least one has been introduced to a different continent (Africa) where it persisted long enough for bee collectors to find some.

From the northern hemisphere comes ... Panurginus. A common group of largely dark little bees, with the males, at times having yellow on their faces, in keeping with the general pattern of males having more yellow than females.

20X Lens Tests. I am posting 3 pictures taken with a "new" 20X Mitutoyo Plan Apo Infinity Corrected Long WD Microscope Objective attached to an old 200mm Pentax lens. This allows me to start getting into some extreme stack territory. That said this lens new is over \$2000.00 U.S. However, I found a scratched one on Ebay for \$300.00.

A male alate or the winged reproductive form of the normally wingless ant group. The species is currently unknown, but we have it sent off to someone for identification.

A bee that has not been seen in Maryland for over 100 years. Protandrena abdominalis. And...still has not been seen in Maryland for 100 years. This specimen actually came from Texas where I was visiting my kin (but not so secretly also collecting bees).

A bee that has not been seen in Maryland for over 100 years. Protandrena abdominalis. And...still has not been seen in Maryland for 100 years. This specimen actually came from Texas where I was visiting my kin (but not so secretly also collecting bees).

One of the best bee plants...big, tall, and simply by being a tree, voluminous in pollen and nectar resources. Black Cherry. Prunus serotina. Specimen and plants by Helen Lowe Metzman.

A populous genus with many South American species, check out the ultra wide head of this male from Argentina. From the Packer Lab collection.

Pseudopanurgus rugosus, collected by the glorious State of Virginia Natural Heritage group. This whole group is a bit of a nightmare. Uncommon, tiny, often very similar looking and widely ignored by taxonomists. I often have to leave them as sp....or as we say 'spuh'.

Pseudoplusia includens, Bowie, Maryland

Putting up the last 2 in the sieres of this species.Pterocheilus quinquefasciatus. - Hunter of caterpillars...in this case, hunter of caterpillars in South Dakota Badlands.

A wasp species. This specimen was collected as part of a bee survey of Cape Cod National Seashore and its larva are parasitoids of beetle grubs.

Another small mint ...here we have Scutellaria elliptica. Look close. What is going on here? Why all this architecture? lips, hoods, long corollas...why purple with white patches and spots...could it have to do with bees? so many questions. Specimen and photograph by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Blue or Mad Dog Skullcap - A common little perennial native mint. For some reason it only puts out flowers on one side of the stem. Having skullcaps is a sign that you are doing things right. Collected by Helen Lowe Metzman in Howard County Maryland.

I THINK this is a sedge, but sadly I just grabbed it quickly while at Finzel Swamp (western Maryland) where it was blooming in clumps around the edge of the large pond located there. Any corrections to my Sedge ID would be very welcome

Seeds and various parts of Senna hebecarpa, American Senna. The details of plants blooms and other body parts have their own beauty. Pictures and specimens by Helen Lowe Metzman, Howard County, MD.

American Wild Senna. A lovely, and slightly exotic wildflower found in Maryland, Howard County by Helen Lowe Metzman. I don't often see bees on this plant and from the structure of the plant it would seem to be oriented to pollination by bumble bees.

Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park - Thanks to Chris Thompson for the determination!

Uknown Cuerna sharpshooter from Fossil Butte National Monument