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Rusty Patch?
Bees and Wasps
Bumblebee
FYI....There are 46 species of bumblebees in North America. For a LOT of really interesting information, ID charts, etc go to:
https://www.beelab.umn.edu/wild-bees/bumblebees
https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/362872-Bumble-Bees-of-Minnesota
Common Eastern Bumble Bee: Bombus impatiens
Bumblebee on on of the 100+ species of Goldenrod in North America
Black and Gold Bumblebee: Bombus auricomus
Bombus ternarius, commonly known as the orange-belted bumblebee or tricolored bumblebee.
NORTHERN AMBER
How Many Eyes Does a Bee Have?
A bee has five eyes in total.
Two larger eyes known as compound eyes which are the most visible and can be found on the sides of the bee’s head. Each of the compound eyes is made up of thousands of individual lenses, that’s why you’ll note bee’s vision is often depicted as looking like several pieces of a puzzle put together. The role of these lenses is to recognise colours, shapes and what can be seen in the immediate environment. As the lenses are all laid out at different angles, the image transmitted into each lens forms an overall image of the bee’s surroundings.
Less obvious, are the bee’s ocelli eyes which sit on the top of the bee’s head in a triangle formation. Unlike compound eyes which have multiple lenses, the ocelli only have one single lens each and are also referred to as the ‘simple eyes’. The ocelli are used by the bees for navigation and orienteering in relation to the position of the sun.
The Western Honeybee is the most common of the 12 species of honeybees. It is commonly maintained by beekeepers and lives on every continent except Antarctica. Image taken near some apple orchards near Pine Creek in SE Wisconsin.
The Drone Fly is a widely distributed species around the globe. They look like a male honeybee and feed on pollen and are an important pollinator. They do NOT have a stinger.
Leaf Cutter Bee
There are about 242 species of Megachile bees or leaf cutting bees in North America. They belong to a larger group that includes also other leaf cutting as well as mason bees; these are all very good pollinators with very interesting habits.
Megachile bees are black and furry. They vary in size, on average about the same size as a honeybee. Most bees carry pollen in baskets on their legs. However, Megachile is different; the underside of the female’s abdomen is particularly furry and is used for this purpose. If you see a black bee, about the size of a honeybee, with a yellow belly, you probably saw a Megachile.
Pure Green Sweat Bee is a moderately-sized, solitary, metallic green, halictid bee. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains, and in adjacent Canadian provinces. It is common in the eastern two-thirds of Minnesota where it reaches the western extent of its range.
Shining Flower Beetle
Olibrus liquidus
The Phalacridae are a family of beetles commonly called the shining flower beetles, They are often found in composite flowers. They are oval-shaped, usually tan or black, and about 2 mm in length. Most species feed on fungus, although a number feed on flower heads.
Wasps
Paper Wasp
The Outside "Skin" of a Hornet Nest
Amazing Construction Skills
Larve Closeup
Great Golden Digger Wasp
Pimpla Parasitic Wasp
Sand Wasp: Another wasp that is a significant pollinator. Females hunt stink bugs as food for their offspring. Each female makes her own nest burrow in sand. For more information.
