Andrena illicis, m, back, Prince George's Co, MD

From malaise traps set in the woodland bottomlands of the Patuxent River comes the uncommonly detected Andrena illicis. Here is a male with its notable orangish legs. I sometimes feel sorry for species like this, it has lived for millions of years, is not mentioned in the bible, nor John Smith's journals to the region, it is bypassed in school textbooks, and garners no mentions in naturalists chat rooms, yet it is as much a valuable member of society as cat, dog, or cerulean warbler. A. illicis, does not car as a dead individual nor a species whether humans ever see them, but I do.