Biological Observations, 2026 Edition

In 2024, I began using this html format to record images that represent my ongoing taxonomic work, as well as a range of biological subjects that capture my attention. Previous: The 2024 Edition and The 2025 Edition.

Click any image for a larger magnification.

Taxonomy projects

The Ephemerals Project

With Shawn Severance, Washtenaw County Naturalist, I am organizing a study of pollinators of spring ephemerals (more info). We'll identify floral visitors, and look at how they are distributed among plant species. For most of April and May, I'll use this page for news of the ephemerals project, most recent info first.

-->volunteer info

This gallery: Draper-Houston Preserve Apr 19

Bellwort

Dutchman's breeches

Blue cohosh

Redbud

Deadnettle

Buttercup

Spring beauty

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Strawberry

Dandelion (mining bee)

Toothwort

Rue anemone

Early geranium at Scio Woods, Apr 17

Spring beauty mining bee - pink pollen

Pollen collecting hairs on the underside of the bee, with pollen removed.

Horn-faced mason bee. The orange hairs under the abdomen are where this bee carries its pollen. where Megachilid bees carry pollen.

Apr 16: Eberwhite Woods is literally carpeted in blooming trout lily.

Don't need to collect beefly (above), or bumblebee, honeybee, or spring azure (pix at right).

We don't need to collect bumblbees - we'll assume these are Bombus impatiens.

Honeybees - easily ID'd

We'll assume tiny blue butterflies are spring azures.

Marshall Park

On April 13, spring beauty is in bloom, in considerable numbers. There are bloodroot flowers here and there.

The most common spring beauty visitor I saw was the beefly, Bombyliius major. These are parasites of bee nests.

A Nomad bee female. These are cuckoo bees, that lay their eggs in the nests of mining bees, where they feed on the pollen stores.

Male nomad bee. There are many species in the genus Nomada, and very few people that can reliably ID them to species. I am not among them.

Pioneer Woods

Apr 12 scouting report from Pioneer Woods - early flowers, and trout lily visitors.

The only spring beauty seen on Apr 12.

One of a few cut-leaf toothwort.

Sweat bee Augoprochlora pura. How do you know it is a female? Stinger.

Female mining bee, Andrena cf. dunningi. "cf." is term that says: looks like dunningi, but I could be wrong.

County Farm Park

At our first training session April 9, we practiced netting on a set of willows, which were buzzing with insects. Many were beyond the reach of nets, but we did capture 47 specimens, that included 15 species. Standouts: Andrena and Colletes inaequalis males.