September Bees to Target for Observations
Despite the cool nights and short days, there are still plenty of bees to be found. In recent years we've found male Bombus impatiens and Lasioglossum hanging on until early November. Here are a handful of identifiable bees that should be present in Vermont, though have only a few records, if any.
Andrena parnassiae - A globally rare specialist of Grass of Parnassus that we have had good luck finding in Eastern VT.
Andrena aliciae - A sunflower specialist, and the only andrena where the female has a yellow clypeus. So far unrecorded in VT, but a large dark bee that should be pretty distinctive on perennial sunflowers.
Nomada vincta - Look for this wasp-like bee on and around perennial sunflowers, where its host Andrena helianthi is often found.
Nomada banksi - This is a cleptoparasite of Andrena asteris, which is probably one of the last new species to emerge, preferring asters.
Lasioglossum fuscipenne - One of a small number of identifiable lasioglossum, males of L. fuscipenne have dark wings and orange legs. The only VT record was posted on iNaturalist on October 30th of 2019, in Chittenden County - where the VCE bee team had been searching the whole summer - goes to show how much there is still to find!
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