Parasite. Nest parasite to be exact. Formerly in the genus Psithyrus these bees are now in the genus Bombus, with the rest of the bumble bees. The idea is that they are just bumble bees that have decided that it is easier to invade other bumble bee nests and disable or kill the queen and have the old queen's daughters do their bidding....easier than doing all that pollen collecting themselves. This species appears to be associated with B. perplexus and B. rufocinctus, though there is certainly much more to learn and likely additional hosts. This male came from the State College area of Pennsylvania and collected by Laura Russo. Notably outside of the normal range of B. rufocinctus.
~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~
All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish.
Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200
Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all
Ye know on earth and all ye need to know
" Ode on a Grecian Urn"
John Keats
You can also follow us on Instagram - account = USGSBIML Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen:
Free Field Guide to Bee Genera of Marylandhttp://bio2.elmira.edu/fieldbio/beesofmarylandbookversion1.pdf
Basic USGSBIML set up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY
USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4
Bees of Maryland Organized by Taxa with information on each Genus
www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/collections
PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up:
ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf
Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques:
plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU
Excellent Technical Form on Stacking:
www.photomacrography.net/
Contact information:
Sam Droege
sdroege@usgs.gov
301 497 5840
Tags: zerene stacker stackshot geological survey united states geological survey department of the interior droege biml bee inventory and monitoring laboratory bug bugs canon close-up macro insect patuxent wildlife research center pwrc usgs dofstacking stacking entomologist canon mpe65 taxonomy:binomial=bombus fernaldae animals animal entomology pennsylvania laura russo parasite bumblebee bombus state college male
© All Rights Reserved
Parasite. Nest parasite to be exact. Formerly in the genus Psithyrus these bees are now in the genus Bombus, with the rest of the bumble bees. The idea is that they are just bumble bees that have decided that it is easier to invade other bumble bee nests and disable or kill the queen and have the old queen's daughters do their bidding....easier than doing all that pollen collecting themselves. This species appears to be associated with B. perplexus and B. rufocinctus, though there is certainly much more to learn and likely additional hosts. This male came from the State College area of Pennsylvania and collected by Laura Russo. Notably outside of the normal range of B. rufocinctus.
~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~
All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish.
Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200
Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all
Ye know on earth and all ye need to know
" Ode on a Grecian Urn"
John Keats
You can also follow us on Instagram - account = USGSBIML Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen:
Free Field Guide to Bee Genera of Marylandhttp://bio2.elmira.edu/fieldbio/beesofmarylandbookversion1.pdf
Basic USGSBIML set up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY
USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4
Bees of Maryland Organized by Taxa with information on each Genus
www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/collections
PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up:
ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf
Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques:
plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU
Excellent Technical Form on Stacking:
www.photomacrography.net/
Contact information:
Sam Droege
sdroege@usgs.gov
301 497 5840
Tags: zerene stacker stackshot geological survey united states geological survey department of the interior droege biml bee inventory and monitoring laboratory bug bugs canon close-up macro insect patuxent wildlife research center pwrc usgs dofstacking stacking entomologist canon mpe65 taxonomy:binomial=bombus fernaldae animals animal entomology pennsylvania laura russo parasite bumblebee bombus state college male
© All Rights Reserved
Parasite. Nest parasite to be exact. Formerly in the genus Psithyrus these bees are now in the genus Bombus, with the rest of the bumble bees. The idea is that they are just bumble bees that have decided that it is easier to invade other bumble bee nests and disable or kill the queen and have the old queen's daughters do their bidding....easier than doing all that pollen collecting themselves. This species appears to be associated with B. perplexus and B. rufocinctus, though there is certainly much more to learn and likely additional hosts. This male came from the State College area of Pennsylvania and collected by Laura Russo. Notably outside of the normal range of B. rufocinctus.
~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~
All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish.
Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200
Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all
Ye know on earth and all ye need to know
" Ode on a Grecian Urn"
John Keats
You can also follow us on Instagram - account = USGSBIML Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen:
Free Field Guide to Bee Genera of Marylandhttp://bio2.elmira.edu/fieldbio/beesofmarylandbookversion1.pdf
Basic USGSBIML set up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY
USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4
Bees of Maryland Organized by Taxa with information on each Genus
www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/collections
PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up:
ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf
Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques:
plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU
Excellent Technical Form on Stacking:
www.photomacrography.net/
Contact information:
Sam Droege
sdroege@usgs.gov
301 497 5840
Tags: zerene stacker stackshot geological survey united states geological survey department of the interior droege biml bee inventory and monitoring laboratory bug bugs canon close-up macro insect patuxent wildlife research center pwrc usgs dofstacking stacking entomologist canon mpe65 taxonomy:binomial=bombus fernaldae animals animal entomology pennsylvania laura russo parasite bumblebee bombus state college male
© All Rights Reserved