Andrena robertsonii, F, Face, MD, Boonesboro

Andrena robertsonii - A little bit tricky to identify, but a bee I associate with taller blooming things such as Blackberrries, shrub hollies, and sumacs. Sumacs are definitely an underrated bee plant. They tend to spread (ok, the really spread) but sometimes you want that when you are managing a large meadow or a roadside, you appreciate their ability to suppress weeds where they establish. They are actually a pretty cool form in their clumps nicely mounding from edges to centers. Photo 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 USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.