#common digger bee

[onenicebugperday]

Pacific digger bee, Anthophora pacifica, Apidae

As the name suggests, digger bees make nests in the soil where larvae develop in cells. They are solitary, though they may nest in large aggregations.

Photographed in Washington state by eebee

[cyclicredundancycraig]

During my long absence on Tumblr, I've gotten deeply involved with documenting native bees, both on iNaturalist and in several local ongoing studies. Shown here is a Subgenus Micranthophora, Genus Anthophora (Common Digger Bees) on an Alkali Heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum).