#anthidiellum

[cnestus]

i almost never go actively insect collecting anymore since i feel increasingly conflicted about it as i get older, but the nature of my research--trapping for forest/agricultural pests--typically results in a lot of by-catch which i feel duty bound to preserve and curate as best i can. especially the bees because they're cute as hell.

[dendroica]

Anthidiellum notatum gilense, f, side, Cochise Co. AZ_2016-03-15-20.40 (via USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab)

Collected in the deserts of Cochise County in Arizona as part of the famous Bee Course there by Tim McMahon, these speedy little bees are found throughout much of North America. At this moment these are considered a "subspecies" rather than full species but if you compare the visuals on these specimen to those of eastern species you will see that while the body form is the same ish that the colors are different enough to suspect that they may actually be different species. Certainly the habitats inhabited are quite different. Photography by Amanda Robinson.

[dendroica]

Anthidiellum notatum gilense, f, face, Cochise Co. AZ_2016-03-15-20.19 (via USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab)

Collected in the deserts of Cochise County in Arizona as part of the famous Bee Course there by Tim McMahon, these speedy little bees are found throughout much of North America. At this moment these are considered a "subspecies" rather than full species but if you compare the visuals on these specimen to those of eastern species you will see that while the body form is the same ish that the colors are different enough to suspect that they may actually be different species. Certainly the habitats inhabited are quite different. Photography by Amanda Robinson.