Category: Fall Bees
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Drury’s longhorn bee (Melissodes druriellus)
Apidae > Melissodes > Melissodes druriellus Drury’s longhorn bee (Melissodes druriellus) is yet another player in the marvelous theater of goldenrods and asters. Females have a distinctive “banded” thorax created by a cinnamon stripe on the apical half. Look for these bees in August and September, but you’ll have to be fast to catch a…
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Cloudy-winged mining bee (Andrena nubecula)
Andrenidae > Andrena > Andrena nubecula Cloudy-winged mining bee (Andrena nubecula) is a sure sign of fall. This dark slender mining bee is primarily found on goldenrods in old fields, meadows, and suburban gardens adjacent to forests. Look for a medium-sized bee, with smoky wings held out at an angle, and armpits full of orange…
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Aster mining bee (Andrena asteris)
Andrenidae > Andrena > Andrena asteris Look for aster mining bee (Andrena asteris) in fall when the temperatures begin to drop and roadsides become ablaze with goldenrods and asters. The species is common throughout New England and can be found in a wide range of habitats from gardens to meadows to old fields to coastal…
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Hairy-banded mining bee (Andrena hirticincta)
Andrenidae > Andrena > Andrena hirticincta Hairy-banded mining bee (Andrena hirticincta) is a distinctive late-summer and fall-active mining bee found on goldenrods and asters. Both males and females are covered in long golden hairs on the face, thorax, and abdomen. Look for this species in a variety of habitats including meadows, old fields, roadsides, and…