#redhopper

A new bee species record for the state of Maryland.  Triepeolus rhododontus was found on a dredge spoil island in the Chesapeake Bay.  One of the interesting aspects of this island is that it is 2 miles from the coast of the Bay and did not have any significant original habitat (the islands formerly there has shrunk to about an acre).  So all the bees there had to travel across 2 miles of water to live there. So there is good indication here that bees are good at dispersing once they emerge from their nests.  It is a nest parasite of Melissodes bees which also were extremely common there, including several species we normalliy don't see that many of.  Thanks to Gene Scarpulla and FWS for doing this study.   Pictures by Erick Hernandez.