#peponapis

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Squash Bee (Genera: Peponapis and Xenoglossa)

Squash bees, like Xenoglossa strenua, pollinate cucurbit plants.

USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

[bowelfly]

unequivocally the best thing about having a garden is waking up to a couple good ass squash bees snoozing in a zucchini blossom.

Peponapis pruinosa

[usgsbiml]

Laura Russo collected these lovely squash bees (Peponapis pruinosa) near State College, Pennsylvania. Aptly named, this bee only feeds its young on the pollen of Cucurbita (pumpkins, squash, gourds and the like). This plant genus is native to the hemisphere....peaking in numbers in the Mexican highlands, but does not occur naturally in Pennsylvania (too cold). However because we keep planting pumpkins and squash each year, our squash bee friends are sustained, and probably have been since Indians brought squash into the area many centuries ago.

Which is a good thing since they are very effective pollinators given that they are out at dawn (when almost no other bees are out) and active until squash plants close their blooms around 9 a.m. They are tight like ticks with Curcubits.

[bowelfly]

bonus: tried to use my camera’s z-stacking function but the right bee was moving it’s ass around too much

[usgsbiml]

People who know something about native bees often know about the "Squash Bee" Peponapis pruinosa. However, there are a number of other native squash bees, and here is one.  This is Xenoglossa strenua.  It doesn't help that it looks mighty darn similar to Peponapis pruinosa...but both the male and females have yellow on the base of their mandibles, while P.p. does not.  Helpful under the microscope at least.  

This specimen is one of the few, and the only recent, records for Maryland.  An interesting note is that this species is not found in Maryland on any native plants, but only on the agricultural squash and pumpkin plants which originated in the Southwest and were migrated here eons ago by Indian farmers.  Squash plants cannot overwinter in the region, but the squash bees can.

[backyardbeehive]

♂️First she visits a male flower. There must be a small amount of nectar at the base of the stamen that she has to work to get; you’ll usually see her #beebutt up. This way she is maximally in contact with the anther so pollen will stick all over her. ♀Then she flies over to a female blossom, rich with nectar at the base of the style. She takes a deep drink and unintentionally deposits pollen on the stigma. Just like sperm fertilizes an egg, the pollen triggers the ovary to develop fruit. #sexinthegarden #squashbees #peponapis #cucurbit #pollination #bees #beesandmacro

[backyardbeehive]

The Squash Bees have finally arrived! An overabundance of zucchini is about to happen. 👨‍🍳 . #peponapis #Eucerini #abeilles #abejas #bees #bienen #μέλισσες

[backyardbeehive]

Friends Drift Inn Patty Pan Squash Fry "Recipe”

Wash the scallop squash, cut into French fry sections, dip in buttermilk, then a little seasoned cornmeal. Fry them until golden brown. That’s it. No recipe required! You could use ketchup, horseradish, or ranch dressing as a dip…but we really suggest the Bourbon Tomato Jam Recipe

http://www.friendsdriftinn.com/recipes/bourbon-tomato-jam-recipe.html

Forget potato French fries, these hunks of goodness impart a buttery rich flavor, and a very soothing texture. Serve alongside your famous tailgate burgers and you will really have something to cheer about!

I like Jim Beam® #Honey: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.