Posts Tagged: Melissodes

Why It's Called a 'Boys' Night Out'

Ever seen the male longhorned bees, Melissodes agilis, zipping around your garden, trying to bump all critters, large and small, off of "their"...

A horizontal view of male Melissodes bees sleeping on a lavender stem. Image taken just after dawn in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A horizontal view of male Melissodes bees sleeping on a lavender stem. Image taken just after dawn in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What's up, sleepy head? A sleepy male Melissodes agilis bee begins to stir at dawn. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What's up, sleepy head? A sleepy male Melissodes agilis bee begins to stir at dawn. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Intensity of a Territorial Bee Targeting a Blister Beetle

If you're feeling overwhelmed during the holiday season and just can't seem to concentrate, check out the focus and intensity of this male...

A male Melissodes agilis targeting a meloid beetle on a Tithonia in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Melissodes agilis targeting a meloid beetle on a Tithonia in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The blister beetle eating pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The blister beetle eating pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Let's Roll!

Let's roll! During the golden hour, right before sunset, have you ever watched a male longhorned bee roll full-barrel over a flower at Top Gun...

A male Melissodes agilis barreling over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Melissodes agilis barreling over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Defensive Measures: Leave Me Alone!

Have you ever seen the defensive antics of a female longhorned bee, sometimes called a sunflower bee, as she's trying to forage on flowers while...

A male Melissodes agilis dives toward the female of his species, but she's not interested. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Melissodes agilis dives toward the female of his species, but she's not interested. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In a defensive, leave-me-alone measure, the female Melissodes agilis kicks at the male. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In a defensive, leave-me-alone measure, the female Melissodes agilis kicks at the male. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Melissodes agilis flies off, leaving the female alone, but not for long. He'll be back. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Melissodes agilis flies off, leaving the female alone, but not for long. He'll be back. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Get Off My Turf!

Get off my turf! The native bees known as Melissodes, the longhorned bees, start stirring in the early morning. First, they settle on...

A male Melissodes agilis pauses to sip nectar from a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Melissodes agilis pauses to sip nectar from a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Get off my turf! A male Melissodes agilis bops another male of the species. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Get off my turf! A male Melissodes agilis bops another male of the species. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"I said get off my turf." The male Melissodes agilis trying to claim territorial rights.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"I said get off my turf." The male Melissodes agilis trying to claim territorial rights.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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