Centris lanosa, F, Back, FL, Torreya

A disjunct population of a western bee...or at least not intermediate populations have been found between Florida and the West. This specimen was caught almost in Georgia, so close as it might as well be recorded for the state. Centris are oil collectors, replacing at least some of the nectar normally fed to young with oils collected from plants who lure this species with a fatty gift. Collected by Dave Gruenewald ...studying southern pine plantation bees. Photograph by Brooke Alexander 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. USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.