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Melitoma taurea....a bindweed/morning glory specialist. This species seems to find the invasive non-native bindweeds perfectly acceptable and thus you can find it nesting right in the middle of cities as well in natural areas. Notable for the length of its tongue which, even when folded up extends to the abdomen.

Melitoma taurea....a bindweed/morning glory specialist. This species seems to find the invasive non-native bindweeds perfectly acceptable and thus you can find it nesting right in the middle of cities as well in natural areas. Notable for the length of its tongue which, even when folded up extends to the abdomen.

Melitoma taurea....a bindweed/morning glory specialist. This species seems to find the invasive non-native bindweeds perfectly acceptable and thus you can find it nesting right in the middle of cities as well in natural areas. Notable for the length of its tongue which, even when folded up extends to the abdomen.

Last in a series of an unknown Melitoma from Costa Rico.

West Virginia, with a bit of mold on the pollen area

Cranberry Specialist. This very uncommon bog loving species was collected in the Sandhills of North Carolina where it was captured by Heather Campbell and feeds its babies the pollen from wild cranberries and its relatives. You can even see some of the pollen on the top of its head and on its legs.

Cranberry Specialist. This very uncommon bog loving species was collected in the Sandhills of North Carolina where it was captured by Heather Campbell and feeds its babies the pollen from wild cranberries and its relatives. You can even see some of the pollen on the top of its head and on its legs.

A cranberry specialist. This bee is one of the few bees that specializes on bogs and bog plants and is found in scattered locations from Southern New England along the coastal plane to the Gulf Coast. This specimen was collected by Heather Campbell in the sandhills of North Carolina. Photograph by Brooke Alexander.

A cranberry specialist. This bee is one of the few bees that specializes on bogs and bog plants and is found in scattered locations from Southern New England along the coastal plane to the Gulf Coast. This specimen was collected by Heather Campbell in the sandhills of North Carolina.

Cranberry lover from Georgia. This is a classic example of a bee whose range is restricted by the pollen it needs to feed its young.

Cranberry lover from Georgia. This is a classic example of a bee whose range is restricted by the pollen it needs to feed its young.

Cranberry lover from Georgia. This is a classic example of a bee whose range is restricted by the pollen it needs to feed its young.

A cranberry specialist. This bee is one of the few bees that specializes on bogs and bog plants and is found in scattered locations from Southern New England along the coastal plane to the Gulf Coast. This specimen was collected by Heather Campbell in the sandhills of North Carolina. Photograph by Brooke Alexander.

Melitta haemorrhoidalis, Red-butted Campanula Lover, specimen collected by R.C.L. Perkins in Wotton-under-Edge, EnglandMelitta is the Greek word for bee, and the name of the favorite activity indulged in by the authors "“ melittology "“ is based upon this. Melitta bees are specialists.

Melitta haemorrhoidalis, Red-butted Campanula Lover, specimen collected by R.C.L. Perkins in Wotton-under-Edge, EnglandMelitta is the Greek word for bee, and the name of the favorite activity indulged in by the authors "“ melittology "“ is based upon this. Melitta bees are specialists.

Melitta haemorrhoidalis, Red-butted Campanula Lover, specimen collected by R.C.L. Perkins in Wotton-under-Edge, EnglandMelitta is the Greek word for bee, and the name of the favorite activity indulged in by the authors "“ melittology "“ is based upon this. Melitta bees are specialists.

Melitta haemorrhoidalis, Red-butted Campanula Lover, specimen collected by R.C.L. Perkins in Wotton-under-Edge, EnglandMelitta is the Greek word for bee, and the name of the favorite activity indulged in by the authors "“ melittology "“ is based upon this. Melitta bees are specialists.

There are 6 families of bees in North America. The bee here Melitta melittoides is member of Melittidae. Melittidae has only 2 genera of bees in the East. Most of them are highly specialized. Our friend here is a Lyonia (maleberry) specialist. In the face shot of the female...check out the size of those mandibles.

There are 6 families of bees in North America. The bee here Melitta melittoides is member of Melittidae. Melittidae has only 2 genera of bees in the East. Most of them are highly specialized. Our friend here is a Lyonia (maleberry) specialist. In the face shot of the female...check out the size of those mandibles.

There are 6 families of bees in North America. The bee here Melitta melittoides is member of Melittidae. Melittidae has only 2 genera of bees in the East. Most of them are highly specialized. Our friend here is a Lyonia (maleberry) specialist. In the face shot of the female...check out the size of those mandibles.

Looks just like a "bee" does it not? Not super sexy, pretty plain really. But so very interesting. This is Melitta melittoides. A very uncommon bee. Uncommon because it only feeds its babies the pollen from Lyonia (Fetterbush, Staggerbush if you will).