Nomada near pygmaea, gynandromorph, A.A Co., MD
Intersex. Gynandromorph. Part Male: Park Female. Here is a lovely example. In this case the intersex section is restricted to the head. This is a Nomada of the pygmaea group. pygmaea group indicates that this is probably a group of species, but....I can't tell them apart. Long story. In any case, this cool specimen was found by Don Harvey in the sand area of Jug Bay Wetlands Reserve on the sand side of the Patuxent River in Maryland. It was flying with a big group of its normal compatriots who almost certainly were checking out the Andrena miserabilis nesting there and all were out for an early spring warm spell. Look at the picture...red side of the head is female, yellow/black is male. Female has 12 antennal segments, male - 13. Photos by Anders Croft.
We Are Made One with What We Touch and See
We are resolved into the supreme air,
We are made one with what we touch and see,
With our heart's blood each crimson sun is fair,
With our young lives each spring impassioned tree
Flames into green, the wildest beasts that range
The moor our kinsmen are, all life is one, and all is change.
- Oscar Wilde. Original public domain image from Flickr