179 replies to this topic

[ConcordAntman]

I was inspecting my hive and found this interloper hanging around. I think it’s a Cuckoo wasp of the Chrysura genus. 

 

Here’s the entrance to my hive. These are Italian Apis mellifera. I just found it interesting. The hive was barely 12 hours old and while all the bees were perfectly shiny there was this one bee that was covered in pollen. Where’d she come from? There’s little in bloom here and this colony is too new to the area to know where the “good stuff” is growing. There are several farms with hives around, I suspect she was lost!

 

[ANTdrew]

First bumblebee worker of the season I’ve seen. This is a Bombus bimaculatus foraging on the famous azaleas at the National Arboretum in Washington DC.

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Edited by ANTdrew, April 23 2023 - 2:24 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Bombus bimaculatus on my native roses.

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[ANTdrew]

Anthidium maculatum wool carder bee gathering plant fuzz off my rose campion flowers. The wad of fluff was actually pretty huge!

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Edited by ANTdrew, May 20 2023 - 4:13 PM.

[Barristan]

Today I saw that the wild bees sealed two of the test tubes (12/10 mm diameter) I placed inside my bee hotel:

 

I took one test tube out and took additional pictures:

 

 

You can see the 5 brood chambers that contain nectar, pollen and exactly one egg (or maybe already small larvae?)

Close-up of one chamber:

 

[ANTdrew]

What an incredible idea!

[Flu1d]

Today I saw that the wild bees sealed two of the test tubes (12/10 mm diameter) I placed inside my bee hotel:



I took one test tube out and took additional pictures:



You can see the 5 brood chambers that contain nectar, pollen and exactly one egg (or maybe already small larvae?)

Close-up of one chamber:

Is it just my phone or do these images not work for anyone else?

[Ernteameise]

Wow this is awesome.

I should try that, too.

[ANTdrew]

Bombus griseocolus on Carolina rose.

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[ANTdrew]

I believe this is a Bombus fervidus.
photo upload link

Edited by ANTdrew, June 4 2023 - 11:53 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Another Bombus fervidus:

[ConcordAntman]

Osmia bucephala (Bufflehead Mason Bee) approaches Dicentra eximia (Fringed Bleeding Heart)

 

 

 

[ANTdrew]

This is one of the most spectacular bees I’ve ever seen. It was observed in Antigua, Guatemala. I believe it is a Eulaema meriana or similar species. These are massive orchid bees. Males collect scents from orchid and other plants to attract mates.

[ANTdrew]

Tetragonisca angustula, stingless honey bees. These eusocial bees have been raised for honey since Mayan times.

[ANTdrew]

Wool carder bee on my Monarda:

[ConcordAntman]

We were traveling in the Southwest for our anniversary and were visiting the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens. It was supposed to be a decent birding site but I ended up being fascinated by the bugs

 

First, a Spotted Woolcarder (Anthidium maculosum) on a Beardtongue (Subgenus Penstemon). There’s another foraging in the upper right of the frame. 

 

I thought this was a Half-Black Bumblebee (Bombus vagans) on Lavender but it’s an American Bumblebee (Bombus pennsylvanicus).

 

 

 

 

Western Honeybee (Apis melifera)

Finally, I know it isn’t a bee but this White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) foraging on Rose sage (Salvia pachyphylla) is amazing! This is the third different species of Hummingbird moth that I’ve photographed. 

 

Edited by ConcordAntman, August 6 2023 - 7:01 PM.

[ConcordAntman]

A Bombus impatiens on Goldenrod gets photobombed by a passing Gold-marked Thread-waisted Wasp (Eremnophila aureonotata).

 

 

 

 

 

Bombus impatiens with Goldenrod 

 

Bombus impatiens with Bleeding Hearts 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ConcordAntman]

In spite of our weird weather patterns delivering weeks of sunshine interspersed with torrential rains, we’ve suffered periods of poor nectar flows. As a result, our local varieties of Yellowjackets have gone crazy raiding bird feeders (hummingbird and Oriole) as well as beehives (fortunately not mine). Here, a Bald-faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) (also known as Blackjacket) dines on grape jelly meant for Baltimore Orioles while some others cause a mid-air collision!

 

 

 

[ANTdrew]

Spectacular!

[ConcordAntman]

Thanks