#gtmo

This bee takes over #Centris nests...in Cuba.  #Mezoplia azurea.  Collected on GTMO.

Finally finished my first build of the year. SNJ Texan in 1/48, Guantanamo Bay 1956. I love the way the colors are vibrant and contrasting on the 50′s trainers. Decals held on to the paper for dear life, so it took quite a while to get it together.

Then the vetters at Guantanamo began marking the descriptions of the art in the lawyers' notes as classified.

Mysterious multi-horned bee found at GTMO, Cuba.  Nobody cares.  You don't hear much about GTMO these days.  And you almost certainly have not heard about the 20 or so multi-horned bees, Megachile armaticeps, Sean Brady and I found on the base a number of years ago.  Take a look at its mug shot; look closely my friend and you will see there are things on its head that no other bee has on its head.   I am going out on a limb here and say that this is for long-distance mud carrying for the discerning lady of the nest who wants just the right clay.  You can come up with your own story because no one really knows what those things are for or has done much more than collect a few hear and there.  But, perhaps I am wrong!  There are bee researchers in Cuba (and at least one ex bee pat in Toronto (greetings Julio)) and they may have studied up the multi-horned bee and I am simply being parochial (not for the first time).    Photo by Sierra Williams.

To see Centris fasciata, you must travel to the Caribbean.  This bright, happy, male was found in Cuba on the Guantanamo Naval Base.  Most of the Centris bees are big, way bigger than a honeybee, and gather plant oils to feed their young.  Lots of interesting plant interactions here, but I have no idea what species C. fasciata feeds on or uses on the Naval Base.  So much to learn. 

You see this species most likely came originally from the Indian Subcontinent and then was schlepped around the world via its habit of nesting in wooden structures and packing material.  Its found throughout the Caribbean (including Florida) and we have also found specimens in Hawaii.  Will invasive, it does have the good sense to look good.    Photograph by Brooke Alexander.

Cerceris hatuey - A ripped wasp. Cerceris hatuey. From Guantanamo Bay. Likely a beetle hunter. One has to wonder about all these insect design elements. The diversity of approaches makes for a pretty good body of work. Good job Nature.

Commonly found, at least by me, in open sandy areas where they act a lot like a bee looking for a nest location and so they get scooped up.    They also have the interesting habit of impaling their little fly prey on their stinger to help hold the flies in place as they schlep them back to their nest.  This specimen was collected in Cuba at the Guantanamo Military Base, perhaps along one of the many mini beaches that exist on the base.  Photograph by Brooke Alexander.