Images

This is the male of a species that parasitizes Megachile (leaf cutter nests) by laying their eggs in the nest of the host, after which the young Coelioxys sodalis emerges and kills the host larvae and consumes the pollen and nectar of the host's young. About 20% of all bees work on this model.

This is the male of a species that parasitizes Megachile (leaf cutter nests) by laying their eggs in the nest of the host, after which the young Coelioxys sodalis emerges and kills the host larvae and consumes the pollen and nectar of the host's young. About 20% of all bees work on this model.

Coelioxys vigilans, Female, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola, Nest parasites of Megachile nests

Coelioxys vigilans, Female, Dominican Republic, March 2012

Coelioxys vigilans, Dominican Republic, male

Coelioxys coturnix, female, July 2012 along Railroad tracks in Cumberland Maryland

Coelioxys coturnix, female, Maryland, July 2012, Cumberland

Coelioxys coturnix, female, Maryland, July 2012, Cumberland

Coelioxys sayi, female, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Odenton, Maryland

Coelioxys sayi, female, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Odenton, Maryland

Coelioxys sayi, female, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Odenton, Maryland

Spotted lady beetle,Coleomegilla maculata, a relatively common native species of lady beetle, sadly most of the most common lady beetles are not native these days. This one, interestingly, feeds an awful lot on pollen from flowers, and therefore I often catch it when collecting bees.

Colletes aestivalis. Rare? or Not Rare? This is a Heuchera specialist. Heuchera is planted everywhere, why is the species not seen and seen by some as a potential species of concern. A few things pilgrim.

Colletes aestivalis. Rare? or Not Rare? This is a Heuchera specialist. Heuchera is planted everywhere, why is the species not seen and seen by some as a potential species of concern. A few things pilgrim.

Colletes aestivalis. Rare? or Not Rare? This is a Heuchera specialist. Heuchera is planted everywhere, why is the species not seen and seen by some as a potential species of concern. A few things pilgrim.

Rare. This bee (Colletes aestivalis) is rarely seen these days. I have never collected one despite it being recorded in Maryland in the far distant past. So it was nice to see this specimen from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia collected by Jessica Rykken in her studies of the Park's bee fauna. Good news.

Rare. This bee (Colletes aestivalis) is rarely seen these days. I have never collected one despite it being recorded in Maryland in the far distant past. So it was nice to see this specimen from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia collected by Jessica Rykken in her studies of the Park's bee fauna. Good news.

Rare. This bee (Colletes aestivalis) is rarely seen these days. I have never collected one despite it being recorded in Maryland in the far distant past. So it was nice to see this specimen from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia collected by Jessica Rykken in her studies of the Park's bee fauna. Good news.

Colletes brevocornis, and uncommonly collected species, one that I associate with dry open areas, it is perhaps a specialist on Venus looking glass in the campanulae family. Difficult to say, since so few have been collected but that is our best guess at this time.

Colletes brevocornis, and uncommonly collected species, one that I associate with dry open areas, it is perhaps a specialist on Venus looking glass in the campanulae family. Difficult to say, since so few have been collected but that is our best guess at this time.

Colletes brevocornis, and uncommonly collected species, one that I associate with dry open areas, it is perhaps a specialist on Venus looking glass in the campanulae family. Difficult to say, since so few have been collected but that is our best guess at this time.