Thursday, April 4, 2024

Bee on the Lookout for VT Bees in April

Here are photos of a few of the many bee species that you might see in Vermont in April.

Recognize any of the faces? The fifth one down might have played in a band in the 70's!

Photos courtesy of USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab.

Andrena arabis, m, face. A specialist in early spring blooming brassicas. 

Here is the male  Andrena arabis. The male illustrates what happens periodically with some of the males of this largely brown, dark group of mining bees which is that a few of them have a yellow, or in this case an off-white, clypeus. Surely this must be some sort of sexual signal as the females almost never have these markings. - USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab.

Solitary bee. Ground nesters, some will nest in lawns. Oligolectic: Brassicaceae family. A specialist on the mustard family. Its specific plant preferences seem uncertain currently and have been found on both native ephemerals (i.e. Toothwort) and non-native, weedy Brassicaceae. No cocoon formed. Overwinters as adult. Stage of diapause: prepupa. NA native.  Females collect pollen on the hind leg and side of the thorax. Common name Mustard miner bee. Excerpts from Bernie's VBSA (VT bee species accounts). 


Of the woodland-oriented bees, this is regionally the most common one, Andrena carlni, this male is relatively easy to tell because of the black hairs that line the edges of the eyes and the ocelli [three small eyes] that are set back from the back of the head. - USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab.

Solitary bee. About 15-27 cm. Polylectic. Male A. carlini are unique among male Melandrena for the black hairs on the inner margin of the eyes. Single nests are sometimes found within aggregations of other spring-active species like Colletes inaequalis. Known to nest gregariously on hard-packed ground in forested areas and blueberry barrens. Nesting appears to benefit from frequent burning of blueberry barrens for cultivation. Nests may have large tumuli and are left open during foraging bouts. Nests singly with nests often found far from one another. Burrow entrances may or may not be obscured by vegetation. Excerpts from Bernie's VBSA (VT bee species accounts).                                                                                                             



Such a lovely blue and relatively unusual in the Genus Lasioglossum. At least in the East, there is no other Lasioglossum so extensively and uniformly blue. So blue that it is often mistaken for an Osmia. This species is associated with woodlands, feeding on the vernal flora of the woods and nearby fields and nesting in rotten wood. - USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab.

Eusocial. Forms primitively eusocial colonies. Polylectic. Unlike most other nest-building Dialictus, this species nests in rotting wood. Short tongue.  Excerpts from Bernie's VBSA (VT bee species accounts). 


Osmia lignaria, F, Back Ah, what a lovely ethereal composition. This is the male of the Blue Orchard Bee, studied for its use in orchards as a pollinator. 
Another native bee that has a strong showing in April in Vermont. 
The classic Blue Orchard Bee, that many gardeners make nests for by drilling blocks of wood or buying little houses or straws. All well and good except for the fact that 2 recent Asian Osmia species are now starting to dominate populations in both urban and rural areas. O. taurus and O. cornifrons. We will see what happens to our native as the invasives become more numerous. - USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab.

Five  instars. Nests in natural holes and reeds creating individual cells for its brood that are separated by mud dividers. Polylectic. The average foraging range is 600 meters. Osmia lignaria - takes between 15 and 35 trips to gather enough pollen for just one egg. Approximately 75 flower visits each trip for a total of 1875 flower visits for just one egg. Each female BOB (Blue orchard bee) lives about twenty days as an adult, and by the end of that time, she’s moving slowly, her hair worn off and her wings tattered. - Excerpts from Bernie's VBSA (VT bee species accounts).    


Andrena nasonii, F, face. Hey, I think this guy played guitar in a band back in the '70s...
Each of the the bee names above is linked to the USGS photos where you can view the full body and multiple photos.

The phenology chart below highlights the months each bee species was observed in Vermont as recorded by the Vermont Atlas of Life (VT Center for Ecostudies) as of March 31, 2024. 

 
The bold 'X' indicates the month with the highest number of recorded observations for the species. 
Each species is linked to the VAL  page (see the last column on the right.) 
Each species' name (first column) is linked to its iNaturalist information page. 

TAXON 

V

A

L

 

V

T

 

O

B

S

E

R

VATIONS


BINOMIAL Name

J1

F2

M3

A4

M5

J6

J7

A8

S9

O10

N11

D12

VT VAL Records as of Mar 2023

                VT ATLAS OF LIFE           Species Profile 

Agapostemon sericeus





X

X

X

X

X

X



365

VAL

Agapostemon splendens








X

X

X



5

VAL

Agapostemon texanus





X

X

X

X

X

X



72

VAL

Agapostemon virescens





X

X

X

X

X

X

X


1,236

VAL

Andrena alleghaniensis





X

X

X






90

VAL

Andrena arabis 




X

X

X







10

VAL

Andrena asteris








X

X

X



91

VAL

Andrena barbilabris




X

X

X







50

VAL

Andrena bisalicis



 

 

X

 

 






15

VAL

Andrena braccata








X

X




20

VAL

Andrena bradleyi




X

X

X







50

VAL

Andrena brevipalpis





X

X

X






15

VAL

Andrena canadensis







X

X

X

X



37

VAL

Andrena carlini




X

X

X

 






774

VAL

Andrena carolina 





X

X

X






226

VAL

Andrena ceanothi





X

X







11

VAL

Andrena clarkella 




X

X

X







87

VAL

Andrena commoda





X

X







27

VAL

Andrena cornelli





X

X







12

VAL

Andrena crataegi





X

X

X

X

X




377

VAL

Andrena cressonii




X

X

X







142

VAL

Andrena distans





X

X







7

VAL

Andrena dunningi




X

X

X







113

VAL

Andrena erigeniae




X

X

X







148

VAL

Andrena erythrogaster




X

X

X







94

VAL

Andrena erythronii




X

X

X







98

VAL

Andrena forbesii




X

X

X







48

VAL

Andrena fragilis





X

X

X






53

VAL

Andrena frigida



X

X

X

X







151

VAL

Andrena geranii





X

X

X






114

VAL

Andrena helianthi







X

X

X




181

VAL

Andrena hippotes




X

X

X

X






117

VAL

Andrena hirticincta







X

X

X

X



195

VAL

Andrena imitatrix 




X

X

X







94

VAL

Andrena integra 





X

X

X






55

VAL

Andrena krigiana





X

X







11

VAL

Andrena mandibularis




X

X

X

 

 





9

VAL

Andrena melanochroa





X

X







51

VAL

Andrena milwaukeensis




X

X

X

X






267

VAL

Andrena miranda






X

X






28

VAL

Andrena miserabilis




X

X

X







182

VAL

Andrena nasonii




X

X

X







441

VAL

Andrena nigrae





X








11

VAL

Andrena nigrihirta




X

X

X

X






55

VAL

Andrena nivalis




X

X

X

X






235

VAL

Andrena nubecula 







X

X

X




87

VAL

Andrena nuda





X

X

X






18

VAL

Andrena parnassiae








X

X




37

VAL

Andrena perplexa





X

X







35

VAL

Andrena persimulata





X

X







6

VAL

Andrena placata








X

X




84

VAL

Andrena platyparia





X

X

X






33

VAL

Andrena pruni




X

X

X







20

VAL

Andrena regularis





X

X







61

VAL

Andrena robertsonii





X

X

X






27

VAL

Andrena rufosignata




X

X

X







265

VAL

Andrena rugosa




X

X

X

X






217

VAL

Andrena salictaria




X

X

X







23

VAL

Andrena sigmundi




X

X








26

VAL

Andrena spiraeana 





X

X

X

X





41

VAL

Andrena thaspii





X

X

X

X





86

VAL

Andrena vicina




X

X

X







665

VAL

Andrena violae





X

X







2

VAL

Andrena virginiana







X






9

VAL

Andrena w-scripta





X

X

X






20

VAL

Andrena wheeleri





X

X

X






10

VAL

Andrena wilkella





X

X

X

X

X




757

VAL

Andrena ziziae





X

X







591

VAL

Andrena ziziaeformis





X








7

VAL

Anthidiellum notatum






X

X

X

X




17

VAL

Anthidium manicatum






X

X

X

X

X



219

VAL

Anthidium oblongatum





X

X

X

X

X

X



240

VAL

Anthophora bomboides






X

X

X





63

VAL

Anthophora terminalis






X

X

X

X

X



408

VAL

Apis mellifera

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

2,450

VAL

Augochlora pura




X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


1,358

VAL

Augochlorella aurata




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



2,765

VAL

Augochloropsis metallica





X

X

X

X

X

X



63

VAL

Bombus affinis





X

X

X

X

X

X

X


255

VAL

Bombus ashtoni





X

X

X

X

X

X



39

VAL

Bombus auricomus 





X

X







4

VAL

Bombus bimaculatus




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



3,947

VAL

Bombus borealis




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



1,209

VAL

Bombus fervidus




X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


545

VAL

Bombus griseocollis



X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X



1,631

VAL

Bombus impatiens




X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


12,327

VAL

Bombus pensylvanicus




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



86

VAL

Bombus perplexus 




X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


939

VAL

Bombus rufocinctus





X

X

X

X

X

X



273

VAL

Bombus sandersoni





X

X

X

X

X

X



110

VAL

Bombus ternarius



X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


5,482

VAL

Bombus terricola



X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X



1,404

VAL

Bombus vagans




X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


4,598

VAL

Calliopsis andreniformis






X

X

X





306

VAL

Ceratina calcarata

X


X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X



2,046

VAL

Ceratina dupla




X

X

X

X

X

X




561

VAL

Ceratina mikmaq

X



X

X

X

X

X

X




1,030

VAL

Ceratina strenua




X

X








8

VAL

Chelostoma philadelphi






X

X






125

VAL

Chelostoma rapunculi






X

X






35

VAL

Coelioxys alternatus







X






5

VAL

Coelioxys modestus







X

X





15

VAL

Coelioxys moestus






X

X

X





5

VAL

Coelioxys octodentatus







X






8

VAL

Coelioxys porterae 






X

X

X





10

VAL

Coelioxys rufitarsis






X

X

X





62

VAL

Coelioxys sodalis






X

X






19

VAL

Colletes americanus








X

X




26

VAL

Colletes compactus 








X

X

X



51

VAL

Colletes impunctatus







X






1

VAL

Colletes inaequalis



X

X

X

X







607

VAL

Colletes simulans







X

X

X

X



180

VAL

Colletes solidaginis







X

X





4

VAL

Colletes willistoni







X






4

VAL

Dianthidium simile








X





1

VAL

Dufourea novaeangliae







X

X

X




85

VAL

Epeolus autumnalis








X

X




3

VAL

Epeolus bifasciatus







X

X

X




21

VAL

Epeolus canadensis






X

X






9

VAL

Epeolus scutellaris







X

X

X

X



108

VAL

Halictus confusus




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



795

VAL

Halictus ligatus 




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



1,611

VAL

Halictus parallelus







X


X

X



9

VAL

Halictus rubicundus



X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X



444

VAL

Heriades carinata






X

X

X





68

VAL

Heriades leavitti







X

X





6

VAL

Heriades variolosa







X


X




2

VAL

Holcopasites calliopsidis






X

X






24

VAL

Hoplitis albifrons






X

X






12

VAL

Hoplitis pilosifrons





X

X

X

X





129

VAL

Hoplitis producta





X

X

X

X





245

VAL

Hoplitis spoliata






X

X






37

VAL

Hoplitis truncata







X






4

VAL

Hylaeus affinis






X

X

X

X




183

VAL

Hylaeus annulatus






X

X

X

X




123

VAL

Hylaeus basalis






X

X






6

VAL

Hylaeus illinoisensis






X

X






8

VAL

Hylaeus leptocephalus






X

X

X

X




14

VAL

Hylaeus mesillae





X

X

X

X

X




182

VAL

Hylaeus modestus





X

X

X

X

X


X


277

VAL

Hylaeus nelumbonis






X


X





7

VAL

Hylaeus sparsus







X






3

VAL

Hylaeus verticalis






X

X


X




15

VAL

Lasioglossum abanci




X



X

X





10

VAL

Lasioglossum acuminatum





X

X



X

X



42

VAL

Lasioglossum admirandum





X

X

X

X





77

VAL

Lasioglossum albipenne





X

X

X

X

X




24

VAL

Lasioglossum anomalum





X

X

X


X




26

VAL

Lasioglossum athabascense





X

X

X






10

VAL

Lasioglossum atwoodi






X

X

X





17

VAL

Lasioglossum birkmanni





X

X

X

X





34

VAL

Lasioglossum bruneri





X

X

X






11

VAL

Lasioglossum cinctipes




X

X

X

X

X





59

VAL

Lasioglossum coeruleum




X

X

X

X

X

X




64

VAL

Lasioglossum coriaceum





X

X

X

X

X

X



368

VAL

Lasioglossum cressonii




X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


830

VAL

Lasioglossum divergens





X

X







1

VAL

Lasioglossum ellisiae




 

X

 

X

 





21

VAL

Lasioglossum ephialtum




X

X

X

X

X

X




261

VAL

Lasioglossum fattigi






X

X

 





10

VAL

Lasioglossum foxii





X

X

X

X





50

VAL

Lasioglossum gotham




X

X








4

VAL

Lasioglossum heterognathum 





X

X

X

X

X


X


34

VAL

Lasioglossum hitchensi





X

X

X

X

X




355

VAL

Lasioglossum imitatum



 

 

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


485

VAL

Lasioglossum inconditum





X

X

 

X

X

X



21

VAL

Lasioglossum laevissimum




X

 

X

X

X

X

X



50

VAL

Lasioglossum leucocomus





X

X

X

X

X




349

VAL

Lasioglossum leucozonium





X

X

X

X

X

X

X


220

VAL

Lasioglossum lineatulum




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



229

VAL

Lasioglossum lionotum






X

X

X

X




10

VAL

Lasioglossum macoupinense





X

X

X



X



95

VAL

Lasioglossum nigroviride




X

X

X

X

X





110

VAL

Lasioglossum oblongum




X


X

X

X

X




105

VAL

Lasioglossum obscurum










X



3

VAL

Lasioglossum oceanicum





X

X

X

 

 




85

VAL

Lasioglossum oenotherae






X

X

X





25

VAL

Lasioglossum paradmirandum





X

X

X

X





22

VAL

Lasioglossum pectinatum






X

X

X

X

X



28

VAL

Lasioglossum pectorale





X

X

X

X

X




455

VAL

Lasioglossum pilosum





X

X

X

X

X




476

VAL

Lasioglossum planatum





X

X

X

X

X




59

VAL

Lasioglossum platyparium





X



X





7

VAL

Lasioglossum quebecense




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



165

VAL

Lasioglossum smilacinae




X

X

X

X

X


X



88

VAL

Lasioglossum subversans






X



X




14

VAL

Lasioglossum subviridatum




X

X

X

X

X





74

VAL

Lasioglossum tegulare





X

X

X

X

X




388

VAL

Lasioglossum tenax






X







3

VAL

Lasioglossum timothyi




X

X

X

X






6

VAL

Lasioglossum truncatum





X

X

X

X

X

X



59

VAL

Lasioglossum versans





X

X

X

X

X

X

X


269

VAL

Lasioglossum versatum





X

X

X

X

X




1,032

VAL

Lasioglossum vierecki





X

X

X

X





185

VAL

Lasioglossum viridatum





X

X

X

X





111

VAL

Lasioglossum weemsi







X






2

VAL

Lasioglossum zephyrus(Sometimes in literature misspelled as zephyrum). 





X


X

X


X



44

VAL

Lasioglossum zonulum





X

X

X

X

X

X



310

VAL

Macropis nuda






X

X

X





50

VAL

Macropis patellata







X






6

VAL

Megachile brevis






X

X

X

X




18

VAL

Megachile campanulae






X

X

X





40

VAL

Megachile centuncularis






X

X






14

VAL

Megachile frigida






X

X






22

VAL

Megachile gemula





X

X

X

X

X




99

VAL

Megachile inermis





X

X

X

X

X




147

VAL

Megachile latimanus






X

X

X

X

X



185

VAL

Megachile melanophaea





X

X

X






101

VAL

Megachile mendica






X

X

X

X

X



98

VAL

Megachile montivaga







X

X

X




14

VAL

Megachile pugnata






X

X

X

X




68

VAL

Megachile relativa






X

X

X

X

X



212

VAL

Megachile rotundata






X

X

X

X

X



108

VAL

Megachile rugifrons






X

X

X





9

VAL

Megachile sculpturalis






X

X

X





63

VAL

Megachile texana 






X

X

X

X




20

VAL

Melissodes agilis







X

X





9

VAL

Melissodes apicatus






X







16

VAL

Melissodes bimaculatus







X

X





130

VAL

Melissodes desponsus





X

X

X

X

X




193

VAL

Melissodes druriellus







X

X

X

X



103

VAL

Melissodes illatus







X

X





36

VAL

Melissodes subillatus






X

X

X





29

VAL

Melissodes trinodis







X

X

X




27

VAL

Nomada armatella





X

X







5

VAL

Nomada articulata





X

X

X






167

VAL

Nomada australis





X

X

X






25

VAL

Nomada banksi








X

X




12

VAL

Nomada bethunei




 

X

X

 



 



5

VAL

Nomada cressonii




X

X

X

X



X



183

VAL

Nomada cuneata





X

X







28

VAL

Nomada denticulata





X

X







25

VAL

Nomada depressa




X

X

X

X






11

VAL

Nomada electa








X

X




5

VAL

Nomada florilega






X







2

VAL

Nomada gracilis




X

X

X







43

VAL

Nomada imbricata




X

X

X

 

X





77

VAL

Nomada lehighensis





X

X

X






25

VAL

Nomada lepida






X







1

VAL

Nomada luteoloides




X

X

X







92

VAL

Nomada maculata 




X

X

X







68

VAL

Nomada mendica





X

X







4

VAL

Nomada obliterata





X








8

VAL

Nomada ovata






X







3

VAL

Nomada parva (not in GBIF for VT)













0

VAL

Nomada pygmaea




X

X

X

X


X




125

VAL

Nomada tiftonensis







X

X

X




15

VAL

Nomada valida 




X

X








13

VAL

Nomada vicina







X

X





16

VAL

Nomada xanthura





X

X







10

VAL

Osmia albiventris





X

X

X






33

VAL

Osmia atriventris




X

X

X

X

X

X




157

VAL

Osmia bucephala




X

X

X

X






204

VAL

Osmia collinsiae







X






6

VAL

Osmia cornifrons



X

X

X

X







173

VAL

Osmia distincta





X


X






17

VAL

Osmia georgica





X

X

X






14

VAL

Osmia lignaria



X

X

X

X

X

X





135

VAL

Osmia pumila




X

X

X

X






358

VAL

Osmia simillima






X

X






7

VAL

Osmia taurus





X








7

VAL

Osmia texana 







X

X





9

VAL

Osmia virga





X

X







9

VAL

Paranthidium jugatorium







X

X





12

VAL

Peponapis pruinosa 







X

X

X




526

VAL

Perdita halictoides






X

X

X

X




25

VAL

Perdita maculigera 






X

X






3

VAL

Perdita octomaculata







X

X

X




155

VAL

Pseudopanurgus aestivalis









X




10

VAL

Pseudopanurgus andrenoides







X

X

X




87

VAL

Sphecodes aroniae









X




3

VAL

Sphecodes atlantis





X

X

X

X

X




34

VAL

Sphecodes clematidis





X

X

X

X





15

VAL

Sphecodes confertus




X

X

X

X

X





25

VAL

Sphecodes coronus





X

X

X

X

X




46

VAL

Sphecodes cressonii





X

X

X

X

X




16

VAL

Sphecodes davisii





X

X

X

X

X

X



125

VAL

Sphecodes dichrous




X

X

X

X

X





39

VAL

Sphecodes galerus








X

X




11

VAL

Sphecodes illinoensis






X

X

X

X




27

VAL

Sphecodes levis






X

X






4

VAL

Sphecodes mandibularis





X

X

X

X

X

X



46

VAL

Sphecodes minor





X


X






11

VAL

Sphecodes prosphorus






X

X






3

VAL

Sphecodes ranunculi





X

X

X






42

VAL

Sphecodes solonis













2

VAL

Stelis coarctatus






X

X






5

VAL

Stelis foederalis





X

X

X






3

VAL

Stelis lateralis






X

X






24

VAL

Stelis permaculata








X





3

VAL

Triepeolus donatus







X

X





11

VAL

Triepeolus michiganensis







X

X





7

VAL

Triepeolus pectoralis







X

X

X




27

VAL

Triepeolus remigatus







X

X





12

VAL

Xylocopa virginica 




X

X

X

X

X

X

X



17

VAL


Programs* for interacting with nature

1. JFiN (Jericho Families in Nature).
2. Backyard Bug Safari program.
3. JULS (Jericho/Underhill Life Search).
4. iNaturalist - how to get started. (to post your photos - observations)
5. Nature-inspired single-panel comics - new comic every Saturday. 
6. Six Word Insect Memoirs
7. NEW THIS YEAR: JURBIC (Jericho, Underhill, Richmond, Bolton Inverting Club).

8. Read the Vermont Entomological Society Newsletter. See Bernie's article in the Winter/Spring 2024 edition. As Fabre said in his book. "Fabre's Book of Insects", "To talk about oneself is hateful, I know, but perhaps I may be allowed to do so for a moment, in order to introduce myself and my studies."


9.  Join Sam Droege and Clare Maffei (USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab):  They have started an online bee identification class. If you are interested in participating it is every Wednesday at 1 PM.  Videos of the class are available on Dan Kjar's site at:http://bio2.elmira.edu/fieldbio/handybeemanual.html

9b. Species lists, Identification Guides, and Maps for ALL GENERA in North America, CARIBBEAN, AND MEXICO are available along with all the species East of the Mississippi, and many of the western species

9c.  Or go here https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Bee_genera  and check any of the selections you are sure of then select search. Each time you make selections in one of the sections and hit search, view the list of possible IDs on the left.


View a diagram of bee body anatomy here.

Read Fabre's Book of Insects (PDF hot link). 

Hailed by Darwin as "The Homer of Insects," famed French entomologist Jean Henri Fabre (1823–1915) devoted hours of rapt attention to insects while they hunted, built nests, and fed their families. Working in Provence, in barren, sun-scorched fields inhabited by countless wasps and bees, he observed their intricate and fascinating world, recounting their activities in simple, beautifully written essays.
This volume, based on translations of Fabre's Souvenirs Entomologiques, blends folklore and mythology with factual explanation.

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Location: Jericho, VT 05465, USA

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

To Eclipse (in Vermont) or not to eclipse.


To Eclipse (in Vermont) or not to Eclipse.



To Eclipse (in Vermont) or not to Eclipse, that is the question.


For years a portion of Vermont’s population has escaped winter by seeking solace and perhaps solstice by traveling to Florida. I say escaped winter, not to say Florida does not recognize the term winter, but hey, what is winter without snow? 


Vermont falls below all but two states in yearly absorbable sunlight for generating energy and apparently for holding onto its population count from January through April. 


The latter will change on April 8 of this year.  News reports project tens of thousands of folks will visit Vermont for the April 8 eclipse. Note the full eclipse will last about 3 minutes and 26 seconds. 



And what of all those special eye protection glasses - perhaps the shortest-lived single-use product since plastic utensils and cell phones. Well you say, couldn’t they be used in Vermont after April 8, on days of full sunshine? News flash, Vermont on average has only 58 days of full sunshine each year. 


The glasses might be useful on the slopes with the sun shining on the crystals of snow - but you would need to be in Vermont in the winter, or remember to bring the glasses with you to Florida. One caveat. If you are looking up at the Florida sun in whatever season they call winter, you risk getting your foot chomped on by an unseen alligator. Frostbite in Vermont or alligator foot removal - your choice. 


The bottom line, we keep trying to get more people to come to Vermont, preferably folks young enough to shovel snow. We promote the snow and slopes but quietly dismiss the fact that summer and sun arrive in Vermont about as quickly as they depart, sometimes in the same month. 



We have our promotion focus in all the wrong places. Tens of thousands of folks are coming to Vermont to witness, on a single day, for a few minutes, the sky going DARK. No Sun. They are even willing to accept the risk that the eclipse will be partially or fully clouded over. 


Florida is well entrenched as the sunshine state. It's time for Vermont to pull some of Florida's population to Vermont for a few months out of the year - it's only fair. Vermont should promote what it has besides snow, particularly since we may need to revise our definition of winter soon enough. Vermont does have about 200 days of cloudy skies each year. 


Let's do the math. A few thousand people coming to Vermont for under 4 minutes of no sun times 200 days of cloudy skies. Well let's just say, we could get a lot more use out of those special glasses that let you see the sun when it is hidden from view. 


PS As an avid inverter, on April 8, I will be looking down not up, to see what the insects think of all this fuss. My guess is they will all be packing their bags to head to Florida. 


I am the Bug-eyed Bernie

Sitting in a Vermont garden waiting for the sun


See other ways to view the sun in Vermont below.




Beatles sing of the SUN

Here Comes the Sun (written by George Harrison) It's been a long cold winter, it feels like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun...


I'll Follow The Sun Tomorrow may rain so I'll follow the sun.

Good Day Sunshine - When the sun is out I got something to laugh about, I feel good...Good Day Sunshine

The Beatles - Yellow Submarine So we sailed up to the sun till we found the sea of green. (Have we arrived in Vermont?)

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds  Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she's gone





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Location: Jericho, VT 05465, USA

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Bee on the Lookout for VT Bees in March

There are over 350 bee species known to be in Vermont. 

The bees listed below are a few of those species likely to be flying and, therefore available for observation, during March in Vermont. 


What will you see in your backyard?

Photos are from the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab. Where noted, links are to the iNaturalist page of observations made in Jericho of the listed bee species.
 
Frigid Mining Bee Andrena frigida, male


Click here for iNaturalist photos taken in Jericho.

Females likely nest below ground in sandy soils near their Salix (willow) host plants.
 Solitary (like most of our native bees): Most females are single moms who seal their children in cells and never return. Life of solitary bees means 10 months of living in its nest and 5 weeks of flying.
Frigida: Likely the first species to be active in the spring. Males have been found in late March, even with snow still on the ground. Many of these early records are from sap buckets or wounded maples, which provide sugar before the first flowers bloom. Females are specialists on Willows, and this species disappears by mid-May. 

Males of Andrena may patrol nest areas and also scent-mark nearby non blooming trees.

Forages for pollen from early-spring shrubby willows (e.g. Salix discolor, S. humilis), but known to nectar from a variety of other plants including maples (Acer spp.) and plums and cherries (Prunus spp.). Records from early to mid-summer of A. frigida likely represent pollen foraging on a small subset of later blooming willows, e.g. Salix nigra.                                                                                                            

Tricolored Bumble Bee Bombus ternarius, female

Click here for iNaturalist photos taken in Jericho.

Bombus ternarius, commonly known as the orange-belted bumblebee or tricolored bumblebee, is a yellow, orange and black bumblebee. It is a ground-nesting social insect whose colony cycle lasts only one season, common throughout the northeastern United States and much of Canada. The orange-belted bumblebee forages on Rubus, goldenrods, Vaccinium, and milkweeds found throughout the colony's range. Like many other members of the genus, Bombus ternarius exhibits complex social structure with a reproductive queen caste and a multitude of sister workers with labor such as foraging, nursing, and nest maintenance divided among the subordinates. - Wikipedia.

The queen uses an estimated 600 mg of sugar per day to incubate her brood. To obtain this amount of energy, she may need to visit as many as 6,000 flowers. - "J.L. Vickruck, S.M. Rehan, C.S. Sheffield, M.H. Richards, (2011)
"

Yellow-banded Bumble Bee 
Bombus terricola, female
 "Vulnerable" Globally (Source: IUCN Red List)

Click here for iNaturalist photos taken in Jericho.

Bombus terricola, the yellow-banded bumblebee, is a species of bee in the genus Bombus. It is native to southern Canada and the east and midwest of the United States. It possesses complex behavioral traits, such as the ability to adapt to a queenless nest, choose which flower to visit, and regulate its temperature to fly during cold weather. It was at one time a common species, but has declined in numbers since the late 1990s, likely due to urban development and parasite infection. It is a good pollinator of wild flowers and crops such as alfalfa, potatoes, raspberries, and cranberries. - Wikipedia

Once common and found throughout the northeast and south into Georgia, B. terricola populations have experienced a dramatic decline over the past 15 years, and this species was recently listed as Threatened in Vermont. - Vt Ctr For EcoStudies

Unequal Cellophane Bee Colletes inaequalis, f

Click here for iNaturalist photos taken in Jericho.

Colletes inaequalis is a common species of plasterer bee (family Colletidae), native to North America. Like other species in the genus, it builds cells in underground nests that are lined with a polyester secretion, earning the genus the nickname of polyester bees. C. inaequalis is a pollinator of red maple trees, willow trees, and apple trees. - Wikipedia


Click here for iNaturalist photos taken in Jericho.

Population status: Declining in the Northeast.
A female makes from one to seven trips per day for pollen, and sometimes one or two others for nectar feeding. 
Ground Nester.

Programs* for interacting with nature

1. JFiN (Jericho Families in Nature).
2. Backyard Bug Safari program.
3. JULS (Jericho/Underhill Life Search).
4. iNaturalist - how to get started. (to post your photos - observations)
5. Nature-inspired single-panel comics - new comic every Saturday. 
6. Six Word Insect Memoirs
7. NEW THIS YEAR: JURBIC (Jericho, Underhill, Richmond, Bolton Inverting Club).

8. Read the Vermont Entomological Society Newsletter. See Bernie's article in the Winter/Spring 2024 edition. As Fabre said in his book. "Fabre's Book of Insects", "To talk about oneself is hateful, I know, but perhaps I may be allowed to do so for a moment, in order to introduce myself and my studies."


*See posts on this blog (click on the links above) or contact Bernie for more details. 

View a diagram of bee body anatomy here.

Read Fabre's Book of Insects (PDF hot link). 

Hailed by Darwin as "The Homer of Insects," famed French entomologist Jean Henri Fabre (1823–1915) devoted hours of rapt attention to insects while they hunted, built nests, and fed their families. Working in Provence, in barren, sun-scorched fields inhabited by countless wasps and bees, he observed their intricate and fascinating world, recounting their activities in simple, beautifully written essays.
This volume, based on translations of Fabre's Souvenirs Entomologiques, blends folklore and mythology with factual explanation.
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Location: Jericho, VT 05465, USA

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Jericho, Underhill, Richmond, Bolton Biodiversity Observations March Report


Who are the insects and many other life forms who live in our towns? 

What do they look like? What are their lifecycles, how do they raise their families, what do they eat, where do they sleep?  

Join us as we enjoy the many benefits of nature connection, and increase our knowledge about the natural world and biodiversity, particularly 'nearby nature' in your home locality. 

 

Enjoy the benefits of connection with nature. 
JURBIC BIODIVERSITY REPORT

 iNaturalist Numbers
 
The three charts below show iNaturalist Lifetime numbers through 2024 of the month indicated


Compare to the other municipalities (towns, cities, gores) in Vermont at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/vermont-biodiversity-by-city-or-town. 



Read about the "Jericho, Underhill, Richmond, Bolton, Inverting Club" at JURBIC: Jericho, Underhill, Richmond, Bolton Inverting Club. Quick, Get Your Camera Ready


In a few weeks if not sooner Insect activity will start to hum.  Will you report your observations on iNaturalist?

Links below are short videos on how to upload observations to iNaturalist. Tutorial from North Branch Nature Center. 


Observing the behavior and the life cycle of insects is like getting to know someone as an individual vs. knowing them by name and infrequent contact only.

 - Bernie

View the 2023 iNaturalist observation numbers at Discovering Life in Jericho - 2023 by the Numbers

The Eight Major Orders of Insects

There are 26 orders of insects, but the vast majority belong to only these eight. Below is a short guide to the identification of the eight major orders.

Beetles Coleoptera (“sheath wings”)

  • -  largest order of living things with over 290,000 species known worldwide

  • -  two pairs of wings, but the outer pair is hardened covering the top of the body and

    meeting in a straight line down the back.

  • -  have “chewing jaws”

  • -  metamorphosis is complete

    Moths, Butterflies Lepidoptera (“scaly wings”)

  • -  second largest order of insects (beetles are #1) - mostly moths

  • -  two pairs of wings covered with small scales that rub off easily

  • -  only insects with sucking mouth parts in the form of a coiled tube.

  • -  in the larval stage, most butterfly and moth species feed on leaves, often of a

    particular plant or related group of plants

  • -  metamorphosis is complete

    Bees, Wasps, Ants Hymenoptera (“membrane-winged”)

  • -  third largest order.

  • -  have 2 pairs of thin, clear, membraneous wings.

  • -  females have a well-developed egg-laying organ and/or stinger at the end of their

    abdomen

  • -  ants have wings only at certain stages of life, some have stingers, too

  • -  considered the most highly evolved order of insects.

  • -  Most wasps are parasites; their young hatch and develop inside the bodies of other

    insects or spiders. These parasites are our chief ally in the control of many pest

    insects.

  • -  Bees and wasps are important pollinators of food crops and other plants.

  • -  metamorphosis is complete

    Flies, Mosquitoes, Gnats Diptera (“two wings”)

  • -  fourth largest order (third in North America)

  • -  if an insect has just one pair of wings, it is a fly of some kind.

  • -  all adult flies have sucking mouth parts

  • -  metamorphosis is complete

    Crickets, Grasshoppers, Locusts Orthoptera (“straight wings”)

  • -  thin, leathery forewings that cover larger hind wings that are folded like a fan when

    at rest.

  • -  important food for birds and other insect eaters.

  • -  metamorphosis is gradual

Dragonflies, Damselflies Odonata (“tooth”)

  • -  2 pairs of long, narrow, membranous wings that are roughly equal in size.

  • -  they also have large eyes and extremely long, narrow abdomens.

  • -  at rest, dragonflies hold wings out flat, while damselflies hold wings together above

    their bodies.

  • -  adults feed on other insects (gnats, mosquitoes)

  • -  metamorphosis is gradual

    Aphids, Cicadas, Leafhoppers Homoptera (“same wings”)

  • -  2 pairs of membranous wings held in a tent-like or rooftop position over the

    body when at rest.

  • -  adults (except Cicadas) feed on plant sap

  • -  metamorphosis is gradual

    Bugs, Backswimmers, Water Striders Hemiptera (“half-wings”)

  • -  identified by a triangle on the back just behind the head. This is formed by the way

    the insects fold their forewings when at rest.

  • -  2 pairs of wings; hind wings are membranous, while the basal half of the forewings

    is hardened.

  • -  metamorphosis is gradual

    OTHER INSECTS OF IMPORTANCE 

Termites: small, soft-bodied, pale with short, straight antennae. Flying forms have 2 pairs of wings. Do not have constricted waist like ants. Have sophisticated societies - the queen may live 10 years. Most of the 41 species live in the SE. Eat cellulose of the wood fibers making them bad for buildings but valuable for breaking down dead wood in the forests.

Springtails: tiny, wingless with prominent antennae. Forked structure allows them to “spring” into the air. Among the most abundant creatures on earth, are millions per acre. Immensely beneficial in breaking down leaf litter and fungi into soil components. Include “snow fleas.”

Bristletails: wingless, crawling, terrestrial with long segmented antennae and 3 long “tails”. Include silverfish and firebrats. Eat decaying plants outdoors and starchy substances including books,s, wallpaper, and clothing indoors. Among the most primitive of insects.

Reference: Peterson First Guides / Insects by Christopher Leahy Observing Insect Lives by Donald Stokes, 1983


Traditional research on pollinators has focussed on specific bee groups, such as honeybees and bumblebees (Kremen et al., 2002; Klatt et al., 2014; Lemanski et al., 2022). However, recent studies have demonstrated the equally critical roles played by other insect groups, including ants, beetles, bugs, butterflies, flies, and wasps (Rader et al., 2016; Rader et al., 2020; Requier et al., 2023).
 - Masari Date, Yuya Fukano, Sayed Ibrahim Farkhary, Kei Uchida, Masashi Soga, (April 2024).
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