May 7-13, 2018
1. THIS WEEK IN PICTURES
Leslie Davis catches a brilliant pic of Bombus melanopygus on a delphinium at the Eugene Farmers Market.
Ed Sullivan catches a small carpenter bee female (Ceratina spp.) on Cerastium tomentosum "Summer in Snow".
Michael O'Loughlin finds a Lasioglossum titusi. Sarah Kincaid pointed out that according to McGinley, L. titusi is the only Lasioglossum whose asscociated phoretic mites cling to the hairs on the propodeum. Sarah goes on to point out that McGinley cited a 1975 paper by our very own Andy Moldenke at OSU. Great find Michael!
2. THIS WEEK ON INATURALIST
We may have hit a peak with iNaturalist with 26 people signed up (see last week's blog, iNaturalist isn't mandatory and you can email Andony with a photo of your notebook page instead). But another good week, with 354 new specimens. We also heard from Judi Maxwell this week and the Grants Pass has managed to bring in another 193 specimens. Great work everyone!
PLEASE REMEMBER WHEN YOU GET YOUR NEST BLOCKS INSTALLED EITHER LOAD THE GPS COORDINATES ON INATURALIST OR EMAIL THE COORDINATES TO ANDONY.
3. THE LISTSERVE - atlas_allteams@oregonbeeproject.org - NEW GUIDELINES.
Jen has had a few emails this week with people asking not to get emails from other groups collection events. Rather than post these events to everyone, we want you to send them to me by Friday evening and they will be included in the weekly blog.
4. SURVEY DATES (THIS WEEK)
Yamhill Collection Team
- Monday May 14
- Winters Hill Estate.
- Contact Michael: molfamily@earthlink.net
Hood River Collection Team
- Wednesday May 16 @ 1pm
- DIG location
- Andony will be at the event to teach provide training
- Contact: Charlie: charlie.bgbees@gmail.com
Mosier Collection Team
- Wednesday May 17 @ 1pm
- Mosier Plateau location
- Andony will be at the event to teach provide training
- Contact: Charlie: charlie.bgbees@gmail.com
Bend Collection Team
- Thursday May 17
- Redmond, Eagle Crest.
- Contact Toni toni.stephan@oregonstate.edu.
Klamath Falls Collection Team
- Friday May 18 1-4pm
- Rich will be dropping in
- Contact nicole.sanchez@oregonstate.edu
5. PARASITIC WASP HUNT
Our Atlas member Ed Sullivan is helping OSU look for the following beneficial wasp.
Astata predatory male wasp has distinctive eyes that wrap around the head.
Female Astata wasp - looks a lot like a cuckoo bee in the genus Sphecodes, but wasp antennae typically attach to the head a lot lower than a bee.
Astata are predatory wasps that nest in soil and collect stink bug nymphs as food for their offspring. Their abdomen can be black or orange. As one of the only species to attack Brown Marmorated Stink bug nymphs, they are valuable for pest management. Little is known about Astata due to their fast flight and solitary nesting habits. If you find an Astata while collecting, please share a photo, your location, and if the Astata was carrying a stink bug below its abdomen. Pictures and information can be sent to david.lowenstein@oregonstate.edu
For more information: https://entomologytoday.org/2018/04/26/oregon-native-wasp-enemy-stink-bugs/https://entomologytoday.org/2018/04/26/oregon-native-wasp-enemy-stink-bugs/
6. YOUR QUESTIONS
Q: There is a little brown Osmia that is nesting alongside out native Osmia. Who is this?
A: Its Osmia cornifrons. Its not from here. Michael O'Loughlin did a little digging and found out the following: "According the USDA Agricultural Research Service's ROBO database, Osmia cornifrons was purposefully released in 1984 in three counties - Multnomah, Columbia and Jackson." Michael adds: "It would be interesting to see how far they have spread from there and/or if they survived in these three counties. I know they are in Yamhill county now." Indeed!