Images

Note the expanded base of the mandibles...Collected by Tim McMahon and the first state record for Maryland, Photographed by Aaman Mengis.Canon 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

A thistle hugging giant of an Osmia..., who can't but love thistles and the several bee species that depend on them. Here is a specialist that depends on pollen from our native thistle plants to provision the cells of its young. Too often our native thistles also are taken out when people spray for introduced bull and Canada Thistles.

Osmia trevoralis...more Osmia loveliness.... this time from Yellowstone National Park. 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.

Osmia trevoralis...more Osmia loveliness.... this time from Yellowstone National Park. 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.

Osmia trevoralis...more Osmia loveliness.... this time from Yellowstone National Park. 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.

Perhaps one of the most colorful Osmia, Osmia versicolor, collected by Jelle Devalez on the Aegean Islands of Greece. Yet another snail shell nester. What would these species do if there were no snail shells and no snails to make them? Photography by Maggie Yuan.

Perhaps one of the most colorful Osmia, Osmia versicolor, collected by Jelle Devalez on the Aegean Islands of Greece. Yet another snail shell nester. What would these species do if there were no snail shells and no snails to make them? Photography by Maggie Yuan.

Perhaps one of the most colorful Osmia, Osmia versicolor, collected by Jelle Devalez on the Aegean Islands of Greece. Yet another snail shell nester. What would these species do if there were no snail shells and no snails to make them? Photography by Maggie Yuan.

This is a bee most often associated with woodland blueberries in our studies. In this case the specimen came from Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts.

Osmia bucephala female, Allegany County, Maryland, May, 2012

Osmia distincta, female, Maryland, May 2012, Allegany County

Osmia distincta, Allegany County, Maryland, May 2012

Aniseroot - Smells of licorice and a widely used medicinal and food plant. Osmorrhiza longistylis. Photo and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Aniseroot - Smells of licorice and a widely used medicinal and food plant. Osmorrhiza longistylis. Photo and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Fuzzy head of the Cinnamon Fern , Osmundastrum cinnamomeum. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Another ancient specimens form the National Collection at the Smithsonian. This is Oxaea was collected in Rurrenabaque, Bolivia many years ago. Note the metallic bands on the abdomen and protruding face of this male. I hope to collect more of this group on an upcoming expedition to Chile.... Photograph by Samia Shell.

Whoops, forgot to add this shot of Oxaea to the last set...nice shot of the big nose on this species.

Another ancient specimens form the National Collection at the Smithsonian. This is Ocaea

An unknown species of Oxybelus (a tiny little fly hunting wasp) from Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve in Duval county, Florida. 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.

A bee with great form. The shot of this from Africa from the back reminds me of sputnik. As in all the anthidiini it is a wonderful combination of deep pits and tastefully arrayed colors. I think such designs would look great as warrior outerwear.

A bee with great form. The shot of this from Africa from the back reminds me of sputnik. As in all the anthidiini it is a wonderful combination of deep pits and tastefully arrayed colors. I think such designs would look great as warrior outerwear.