Images

More shots of a queen Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

Here is the first in a series of shots of a queen and male Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

Bombus ashtoni! This is news. This species of bumble bee is nest parasite. They take over the nests of other bumble bees and use the host's workers to produce their progeny. This one is special because its known hosts are B. affinis (the endangered Rusty-patched Bumble Bee) and B.

Bombus ashtoni! This is news. This species of bumble bee is nest parasite. They take over the nests of other bumble bees and use the host's workers to produce their progeny. This one is special because its known hosts are B. affinis (the endangered Rusty-patched Bumble Bee) and B.

Bombus affinis, 2018, Tucker County, West Virginia. An Endangered Species. This male was found by Justin DeVault from AllStar Ecology, who with other folks at AllStar, on their own time and dollar, have been surveying bumble bees in the state. Good people, good model, too rarely done, why aren't you doing this? I digress.

More shots of a queen Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

Bombus affinis, 2018, Tucker County, West Virginia. An Endangered Species. This male was found by Justin DeVault from AllStar Ecology, who with other folks at AllStar, on their own time and dollar, have been surveying bumble bees in the state. Good people, good model, too rarely done, why aren't you doing this? I digress.

A tiny sand loving Perdita from Maryland

A tiny sand loving Perdita from Maryland

A tiny sand loving Perdita from Maryland

Perdita phymatae, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Perdita phymatae, Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park, Apache County

Petrified Forest National Monument, Arizona, Apache County

Petrified Forest National Monument, Arizona, Apache County

Petrified Forest National Monument, Arizona, Apache County

Gateway National Recreation Area, National Park Service

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Gateway National Recreation Area, National Park Service

Gateway National Recreation Area, National Park Service

Small, small, and a lover of sand dunes. Restricted to Sand Dune and Deep Sand habitats and thus uncommonly found and often restricted to protected areas. This one from Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. Of course you noticed that it had 13 antennal segments and extensive yellow on its face making it a male.