Images

From the mountains of western Maryland comes Osmia distincta...lover of Penstemon flowers. Photoshopping by Thistle Droege.

Osmia felti. A big Mason Bee with black pollen carrying hairs. In the world of all animals are few are very very common and many are very uncommon and some are rare. Here is a rare one that pops up now and again in the North East / North Central sections of North America, but only a handful of times.

Osmia felti. A big Mason Bee with black pollen carrying hairs. In the world of all animals are few are very very common and many are very uncommon and some are rare. Here is a rare one that pops up now and again in the North East / North Central sections of North America, but only a handful of times.

Osmia georgica....Shimmering in blue, like most Osmia, small one was found in Maryland and photographed by Sue Boo

Osmia georgica. Nests in holes. Hangs out on mid summer composites. Has orange pollen carrying hairs. Has boss knobs on the upper side of the mandibles (why?). This specimen found on Dave Wagner's transmission line study in New England by Michael Veit. All good.

Osmia georgica. A relatively regular, but not overly abundant hole nesting Osmia. While small it is notable for have what looks like growths on its mandibles, making them quite distinctive. These elevations are probably used to help carry mud to the nests while forming partitions between their cells. Photography by Ashleigh Jacobs.

An eastern Osmia....this is Osmia georgica. Noted for the large projecting horns on its mandibles that likely help the female carry mud to her nest to make partitions. A hole nester that will take up residence in holes you drill in your front porch posts like I do. Photos by Ashleigh Jacobs.

Osmia georgica....Note the expanded and swollen ends to the mandibles, while it is not quite clear what the purpose the serve it is likely to help carry leaf pulp to make dividers for the nest cells they create in the former tunnels of beetles. Found in Maryland and photographed by Sue Boo

Osmia georgica. A relatively regular, but not overly abundant hole nesting Osmia. While small it is notable for have what looks like growths on its mandibles, making them quite distinctive. These elevations are probably used to help carry mud to the nests while forming partitions between their cells. Photography by Ashleigh Jacobs.

An eastern Osmia....this is Osmia georgica. Noted for the large projecting horns on its mandibles that likely help the female carry mud to her nest to make partitions. A hole nester that will take up residence in holes you drill in your front porch posts like I do. Photos by Ashleigh Jacobs.

Osmia georgica. Nests in holes. Hangs out on mid summer composites. Has orange pollen carrying hairs. Has boss knobs on the upper side of the mandibles (why?). This specimen found on Dave Wagner's transmission line study in New England by Michael Veit. All good.

Osmia georgica - Note the slight orangish tone to the hairs under the abdomen. These are used to carry the pollen they collect while out and about. Found in Maryland and photographed by Sue Boo

Osmia georgica. Nests in holes. Hangs out on mid summer composites. Has orange pollen carrying hairs. Has boss knobs on the upper side of the mandibles (why?). This specimen found on Dave Wagner's transmission line study in New England by Michael Veit. All good.

Osmia georgica. A relatively regular, but not overly abundant hole nesting Osmia. While small it is notable for have what looks like growths on its mandibles, making them quite distinctive. These elevations are probably used to help carry mud to the nests while forming partitions between their cells. Photography by Ashleigh Jacobs.

An eastern Osmia....this is Osmia georgica. Noted for the large projecting horns on its mandibles that likely help the female carry mud to her nest to make partitions. A hole nester that will take up residence in holes you drill in your front porch posts like I do. Photos by Ashleigh Jacobs.

The oft times difficult to id male of the not so hard to id female Osmia georgica. Sometimes bees are inconvenient to work with. Picture by Amanda Robinson. 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.

The oft times difficult to id male of the not so hard to id female Osmia georgica. Sometimes bees are inconvenient to work with. Picture by Amanda Robinson. 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 not that great shot of a beat up male Osmia georgica from Maryland. why did I choose this lousy specimen? I am just not sure. Photo by Amanda Robinson. 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 grindeliae is a widespread western mason bee. It just barely squeaks into Canada and no records as of yet in Mexico. This female was found in Yosemite National Park and collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio examining the effect of fire diversity on bees (Ponisio et al. Gloebal Change Biol. 2016). Photograph by Samia Shell.

Osmia grindeliae is a widespread western mason bee. It just barely squeaks into Canada and no records as of yet in Mexico. This female was found in Yosemite National Park and collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio examining the effect of fire diversity on bees (Ponisio et al. Gloebal Change Biol. 2016). Photograph by Samia Shell.

Range Jumper. This range jumper jumped from Illinois to Virginia. There are no records in between. How odd....this is a rare bee in its limited range in the Midwest and to find it all the way in the Mountains of Virginia seems near fantastical, but there it is and more than one specimen too.