Images

Check out the rear pointing spines at the end of the thorax on this male Nomia from Vietnam, there has to be something interesting going on there. As with other Nomia this male has expanded hind leg segments, some nice pearl banding no the abdomen, and a little color pop from the thin trailing edges of the wings from wing interference patterns.

Size of bee makes a difference, even in terms of what bees get studied. Large bees attract even the non-biologists attention and thus Carpenter Bees and Bumblebees are well known around the world. Small bees, that don't bother or sting us can remain unstudied despite their abundance.

Unknown Parasitic Wasp, Cecil County, Maryland, Collected by Tim McMahon. Photographed by Wayne Boo.Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

The luscious greenescent caterpillar of the brown drab northern pearly eye butterfly. check out the 6 little eyes located down near the mouth/mandibles, I feel rather "Hello Kitty" when looking this one in the faceCanon 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

Oh, the subtleties of nature. Just looking at this lovely blend of burgandies, glowing light pink, and dark green is to come to worship the infinite. Am I allowed to say that? To gush, rather than dissect? Sure, who wants their government scientist all bound in the plastic cage of academic sciencespeak. So, to business then.

Ophiogomphus susbehcha, cast skin, collected by Richard Orr along the Potomac River

James River at West View, teneral 4/23/2011, Collector S.M. Roble

Euglossa....the orchid bees, swanky glintlings of the New World tropical forests. The males gather fragrances produced by orchids who are then pollinated by the infatuations of these males.

Another orchid bee in the genus Euglossa from Guyana. At present no species name, but perhaps some day I will have time to work with David Roubik on the many species we collected on a Smithsonian expedition into the interior jungles. This is a male, collected using some of the orchid floral scents to attract them that they use in courtship rituals.

Another orchid bee in the genus Euglossa from Guyana. At present no species name, but perhaps some day I will have time to work with David Roubik on the many species we collected on a Smithsonian expedition into the interior jungles. This is a male, collected using some of the orchid floral scents to attract them that they use in courtship rituals.

Another orchid bee in the genus Euglossa from Guyana. At present no species name, but perhaps some day I will have time to work with David Roubik on the many species we collected on a Smithsonian expedition into the interior jungles. This is a male, collected using some of the orchid floral scents to attract them that they use in courtship rituals.

Another widespread mason bee from the West...this one was found in Yellowstone National Park as part of a study of alpine bee populations there. Osmia albolateralis is its name...sadly, like most bees it lacks a common name. Photographed by Elizabeth Garcia.

How unusual. An Osmia with a red abdomen. Very rare. Also as a cool aside. This one also nests in snail shells. Collected by Jelle Devalez on the Aegean islands of Greece. Pictures taken by Maggie Yuan. Shopping by Elizabeth Garcia.

Osmia atriventris "“ A female captured in Washington County. This common spring species occurs throughout the East. Photographed by Brooke Alexander

One of the common spring Osmia, this specimen came from bowl traps right at the lab...unlike other specimens it was processed right away and the luminescence of the eyes of this particular specimen retained at least some of the flavor of what they look like when alive.Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flas

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.

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.

Check out the midnight blue on the female. Your Prius should look so good. Female photos by Wayne Boo. 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.

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia

What a lovely bee. This is Nomada seneciophila. A bee that had not been seen for over 20 years until I netted a set on the Pomonkey DOD base in Charles County Maryland. The host for this rare bee is unknown, but now I think I know what it is because at that same site was Andrena gardineri another rare bee and a specialist on ragwort ...

Another rare Nomada from Southern Minnesota. This one, Nomada superba, is not so rare as Nomada graenicheri but is quite uncommon. This specimen was collected by Scott Leddy in his study of Prairie remnants in Southern Minnesota. Another new state record. Photography by Ashleigh Jacobs.