#trachusa

[usgsbiml]

Trachusa dorsalis. Always a pleasure to gaze upon a Trachusa. Here this stylish male comes from Georgia at the border with Florida. A specialist on the oft ignored group of fuzzy beans (Strophostyles) that simply by the possibilities of Trachusas shows the need to incorporated fuzzy beans into conservation planting mixes. Photos by Orr Uzan-Tidhar and Grace Schilling.

[usgsbiml]

The somewhat unsettling face of our friend, Trachusa dorsalis.

[usgsbiml]

If you find a Trachusa in the East, and probably if you find it anywhere, you are a good keeper of the land.  These species and T. ridingsii in particular have just disappeared from much of our landscape.  Unlike many other bees they don't integrate well with urban, suburban, agricultural interfaces as currently wrought.  That said, we no so little about this species that it may be simply a matter of providing the right set of native plants and we could these lovely beasts around.  This is something for you to do dear reader...you can't expect the government to solve all your problems.  Captured by Sabrie Breland in the wonderful landscape of South Georgia old growth longleaf pine cared and tended for.  Photography by Brooke Alexander.