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Nomada seneciophila, f, back, md, charles county
What a lovely bee. This is Nomada seneciophila. A bee that had not been seen for over 20 years until I netted a set on the Pomonkey DOD base in Charles County Maryland. The host for this rare bee is unknown, but now I think I know what it is because at that same site was Andrena gardineri another rare bee and a specialist on ragwort ... whose old scientific name was ...Senecio! So, the combination seems obvious and how exciting to have all of that come together on a military instillation that would not normally warrant a second look. Photograph by Wayne Boo.
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