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A first state record for South Carolina. This is the uncommon Melissodes manipularis. Its a male as you can tell by the very long antennae. This bee was collected as part of a survey of coastal Spring Island by Merle Shepherd and compatriots.

A first state record for South Carolina. This is the uncommon Melissodes manipularis. Its a male as you can tell by the very long antennae. This bee was collected as part of a survey of coastal Spring Island by Merle Shepherd and compatriots.

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

So many bees so little time. This is Melissodes rivalis. A male. See the long antennae? That makes it one of the long-horned bees....a clade of several bee genera, mostly summer time species, composite lovers. This is but one of about 4000 U.S. species.

From the obscure Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming comes the long-horned bee Melissodes rivalis. This is a male and the group, as a whole, is one of the many confusing bee groups with many tricky to identify members and secret new species to be found.

So many bees so little time. This is Melissodes rivalis. A male. See the long antennae? That makes it one of the long-horned bees....a clade of several bee genera, mostly summer time species, composite lovers. This is but one of about 4000 U.S. species.

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

Asteracea is important. Here is Melissodes subillatus, which is fluffy, but basically about the size of a honey bee. It, like so many Melissodes, and so many bees in general, is an Asteraceae specialist. This species does not appear to be too picky and uses a range of fall composites, but a look inside the pollen loads would be interesting for sure.

Asteracea is important. Here is Melissodes subillatus, which is fluffy, but basically about the size of a honey bee. It, like so many Melissodes, and so many bees in general, is an Asteraceae specialist. This species does not appear to be too picky and uses a range of fall composites, but a look inside the pollen loads would be interesting for sure.

Asteracea is important. Here is Melissodes subillatus, which is fluffy, but basically about the size of a honey bee. It, like so many Melissodes, and so many bees in general, is an Asteraceae specialist. This species does not appear to be too picky and uses a range of fall composites, but a look inside the pollen loads would be interesting for sure.

Asteracea is important. Here is Melissodes subillatus, which is fluffy, but basically about the size of a honey bee. It, like so many Melissodes, and so many bees in general, is an Asteraceae specialist. This species does not appear to be too picky and uses a range of fall composites, but a look inside the pollen loads would be interesting for sure.

Jasper County, South Carolina, right across from Savannah Georgia sits Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. A refuge of dikes around huge old rice fields that now grow ducks and other marshlings. A few bees occur here, but diversity is pretty low as this is not so much a natural, but a managed habitat.

Jasper County, South Carolina, right across from Savannah Georgia sits Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. A refuge of dikes around huge old rice fields that now grow ducks and other marshlings. A few bees occur here, but diversity is pretty low as this is not so much a natural, but a managed habitat.

Jasper County, South Carolina, right across from Savannah Georgia sits Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. A refuge of dikes around huge old rice fields that now grow ducks and other marshlings. A few bees occur here, but diversity is pretty low as this is not so much a natural, but a managed habitat.

A bit of a mysterious species. Almost all of the records are ancient with almost no recent records. Here is a recent one though. This is from a study of Florida coastal dune bee communites by Anthony Abbate...who should be getting his Master's degree out of this any day. This one found in Broward County.

A bit of a mysterious species. Almost all of the records are ancient with almost no recent records. Here is a recent one though. This is from a study of Florida coastal dune bee communites by Anthony Abbate...who should be getting his Master's degree out of this any day. This one found in Broward County.

A bit of a mysterious species. Almost all of the records are ancient with almost no recent records. Here is a recent one though. This is from a study of Florida coastal dune bee communites by Anthony Abbate...who should be getting his Master's degree out of this any day. This one found in Broward County.