#svastra

[cainhowlett]

Grindelia ciliata and Svastra, Shina woodblock

[cnestus]

Svastra sabinensis (Apidae: Eucerini) from NM

[usgsbiml]

Dark Phase Svastra obliqua.  Having this species means that you have big mid summer composites nearby.  Good for you.  One of my favorite shots.

[cnestus]

girl's got huge corbiculae

[usgsbiml]

New species for the state of Maryland, this is Triepeolus concavus. As are all Triepeolus this one is a nest parasites. In this case, it's host is Svastra obliqua, an uncommon bee that loves large composites and is a good indication of high-quality habitat. In this case, the high-quality habitat was at Blackwater national wildlife refuge in the marshlands of Dorchester County, Maryland. Photography by Wayne Boo

[usgsbiml]

Triepeolus concavus:  Svastra Home Invader.  Triepeolus are a primarily New World group and lay their eggs mostly, but not entirely, in the nests of long-horned bees (Eucerini), mostly Melissodes.  Interestingly (to me), I can't find any records of them parasitizing Eucera (in the strictly old fashioned sense) but if you google around you will see mentions on websites that they do.   I feel like these websites are incorrect, so someone please correct me if I am wrong.   Eucera are a spring long-horn and maybe Triepeolus just don't do spring (I certainly know of no spring records).  In any case the species at hand invades the hulking long-horn group of Svastra, not Melissodes.  Consequently, they are a bit larger than most Triepeolus (as if anyone cared).  This bee was collected in the California Central Valley in Yolo County for research on small-scale restoration in agricultural areas. Claire Kremen's 10-year study of hedgerows shows the benefits of planting native shrubs and forbs in agricultural areas for native bees. Photo by Erick Hernandez.  

[usgsbiml]

Triepeolus concavus.  Most Triepeolus bees are nest parasites of Melissodes, but a few, interestingly, have taken up with other groups of bees.  This big one invades the nests of Svastra species...a group allied with Melissodes but a bit more robust and buff in their body.  

This one collected in Badlands National Park.  One of many places on the Earth I consider as a favorite.

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sam droege, bee servant

[dendroica]

Svastra obliqua, m, face, Dorchester Co_2015-12-01-18.04 (via USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab)

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a good place for Svastra obliqua. This is the male which was quite common around their pollinator garden at their visitor's center. Nice to have mini-wildlife as well as macro-wildlife taken care of at a refuge.Pictures by Hannah Sutton and Ashleigh Jacobs, Photoshopping by Elizabeth Garcia.