Posts Tagged: Melissodes agilis

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)

Decisions, Decisions! The Katydid or the Bee?

So here's this crab spider stalking a katydid nymph foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. Dinner awaits! Suddenly a native...

A crab spider is about to nail a katydid nymph when a longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, appears on the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A crab spider is about to nail a katydid nymph when a longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, appears on the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, continues to forage under the watchful eye of the crab spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, continues to forage under the watchful eye of the crab spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee turns aways from the crab spider, still unaware of the danger. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee turns aways from the crab spider, still unaware of the danger. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider hauls the struggling katydid nymph over the side of the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider hauls the struggling katydid nymph over the side of the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Two California Native Bees 'Travel' to Oklahoma

This is the story of how two native bees from Vacaville, Calif., traveled 1872 miles to Oklahoma City. Not really. But a photo I took in...

"Catch Me if You Can!"--This image of two native bees, Melissodes agilis, won the ESA category at the 63rd North Central Insect Photographic Salon, co-sponsored by the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America and the Photographic Society of America. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Catch Me if You Can!"--This image of two native bees, Melissodes agilis, won the ESA category at the 63rd North Central Insect Photographic Salon, co-sponsored by the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America and the Photographic Society of America. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Checking You Out"--This image of a golden dung fly was displayed at the 63rd North Central Insect Photographic Salon in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Checking You Out"--This image of a golden dung fly was displayed at the 63rd North Central Insect Photographic Salon in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"I Do"--This image of two Gulf Fritillaries keeping busy (insect wedding photography) was displayed at the 63rd North Central Insect Photographic Salon in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"I Do"--This image of two Gulf Fritillaries keeping busy (insect wedding photography) was displayed at the 63rd North Central Insect Photographic Salon in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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