Xeromelissinae

A little Chilicola species found on the expedition to southern Chile with Laurence Packer. A wee stem nesting bee. Photograph by Anders Croft.

A little Chilicola species found on the expedition to southern Chile with Laurence Packer. A wee stem nesting bee. Photograph by Anders Croft.

A little Chilicola species found on the expedition to southern Chile with Laurence Packer. A wee stem nesting bee. Photograph by Anders Croft.

Nectar dries quickly in the Atacama Desert of Chile, the driest desert in the world, and so many plants hide their nectar in deep nectaries. Bees visiting these flowers need long tongues and, in some instances, a very long head to reach the nectar. This tiny species was first discovered in 2004 at the very edge of the absolute rainless portions of the Atacama in northern Chile where it feeds on flowers from Crinklemat plants (Tiquilia). As you can see from the pictures, this is probably the thinnest bee for its length in the world. From the famous Laurence Packer lab. ~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~ All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish. Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200 Further in Summer than the Birds Pathetic from the Grass A minor Nation celebrates Its unobtrusive Mass. No Ordinance be seen So gradual the Grace A pensive Custom it becomes Enlarging Loneliness. Antiquest felt at Noon When August burning low Arise this spectral Canticle Repose to typify Remit as yet no Grace No Furrow on the Glow Yet a Druidic Difference Enhances Nature now -- Emily Dickinson Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen: Basic USGSBIML set up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4 PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up: ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques: plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo or www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU Excellent Technical Form on Stacking: www.photomacrography.net/ Contact information: Sam Droege sdroege@usgs.gov 301 497 5840

Nectar dries quickly in the Atacama Desert of Chile, the driest desert in the world, and so many plants hide their nectar in deep nectaries. Bees visiting these flowers need long tongues and, in some instances, a very long head to reach the nectar. This tiny species was first discovered in 2004 at the very edge of the absolute rainless portions of the Atacama in northern Chile where it feeds on flowers from Crinklemat plants (Tiquilia). As you can see from the pictures, this is probably the thinnest bee for its length in the world. From the famous Laurence Packer lab. ~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~ All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish. Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200 Further in Summer than the Birds Pathetic from the Grass A minor Nation celebrates Its unobtrusive Mass. No Ordinance be seen So gradual the Grace A pensive Custom it becomes Enlarging Loneliness. Antiquest felt at Noon When August burning low Arise this spectral Canticle Repose to typify Remit as yet no Grace No Furrow on the Glow Yet a Druidic Difference Enhances Nature now -- Emily Dickinson Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen: Basic USGSBIML set up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4 PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up: ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques: plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo or www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU Excellent Technical Form on Stacking: www.photomacrography.net/ Contact information: Sam Droege sdroege@usgs.gov 301 497 5840

Nectar dries quickly in the Atacama Desert of Chile, the driest desert in the world, and so many plants hide their nectar in deep nectaries. Bees visiting these flowers need long tongues and, in some instances, a very long head to reach the nectar. This tiny species was first discovered in 2004 at the very edge of the absolute rainless portions of the Atacama in northern Chile where it feeds on flowers from Crinklemat plants (Tiquilia). As you can see from the pictures, this is probably the thinnest bee for its length in the world. From the famous Laurence Packer lab. ~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~ All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish. Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200 Further in Summer than the Birds Pathetic from the Grass A minor Nation celebrates Its unobtrusive Mass. No Ordinance be seen So gradual the Grace A pensive Custom it becomes Enlarging Loneliness. Antiquest felt at Noon When August burning low Arise this spectral Canticle Repose to typify Remit as yet no Grace No Furrow on the Glow Yet a Druidic Difference Enhances Nature now -- Emily Dickinson Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen: Basic USGSBIML set up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4 PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up: ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques: plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo or www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU Excellent Technical Form on Stacking: www.photomacrography.net/ Contact information: Sam Droege sdroege@usgs.gov 301 497 5840

Nectar dries quickly in the Atacama Desert of Chile, the driest desert in the world, and so many plants hide their nectar in deep nectaries. Bees visiting these flowers need long tongues and, in some instances, a very long head to reach the nectar. This tiny species was first discovered in 2004 at the very edge of the absolute rainless portions of the Atacama in northern Chile where it feeds on flowers from Crinklemat plants (Tiquilia). As you can see from the pictures, this is probably the thinnest bee for its length in the world. From the famous Laurence Packer lab. ~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~ All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish. Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200 Further in Summer than the Birds Pathetic from the Grass A minor Nation celebrates Its unobtrusive Mass. No Ordinance be seen So gradual the Grace A pensive Custom it becomes Enlarging Loneliness. Antiquest felt at Noon When August burning low Arise this spectral Canticle Repose to typify Remit as yet no Grace No Furrow on the Glow Yet a Druidic Difference Enhances Nature now -- Emily Dickinson Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen: Basic USGSBIML set up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4 PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up: ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques: plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo or www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU Excellent Technical Form on Stacking: www.photomacrography.net/ Contact information: Sam Droege sdroege@usgs.gov 301 497 5840

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 1296991. Field no.: B03750H11-CHL. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa n. sp. gibbsi. Image quality: 2. Aspect ratio: 1.818.

Dorsal. Catalog no.: 22013 C02. Specimen ID: 6283639. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa new sp. cand. Image quality: 3. Aspect ratio: 1.499.

Dorsal. Catalog no.: 22013 D10. Specimen ID: 6283659. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa luisa. Image quality: 3. Aspect ratio: 1.499.

Dorsal. Catalog no.: 22013 E05. Specimen ID: 6283666. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa n sp. cocai. Image quality: 2. Aspect ratio: 1.499.

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 7029859. Field no.: CCDB-28316 C02. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa machi. Image quality: 2. Aspect ratio: 0.667.

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 7029867. Field no.: CCDB-28316 C10. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa nsp2. Image quality: 3. Aspect ratio: 0.667.

Lateral. Specimen ID: 7029868. Field no.: CCDB-28316 C11. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa nsp4. Image quality: 3. Aspect ratio: 0.667.

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 7029877. Field no.: CCDB-28316 D08. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa newspeciesZ. Image quality: 2. Aspect ratio: 0.666.

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 7029878. Field no.: CCDB-28316 D09. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa sielfeldi. Image quality: 2. Aspect ratio: 0.667.

Lateral. Specimen ID: 7592491. Field no.: CCDB-24582 E02. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa sp_nov. Image quality: 3. Aspect ratio: 1.499.

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 8545139. Field no.: CCDB-30346 E04. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa gibbsi. Image quality: 2. Aspect ratio: 0.667.

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 1475127. Field no.: 04486E01-ARG. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa australis. Image quality: 2. Aspect ratio: 0.8.

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 2740215. Field no.: CCDB-15274 D01. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa mucar. Image quality: 2. Aspect ratio: 0.731.

Dorsal. Catalog no.: pcyu. Specimen ID: 2740452. Field no.: CCDB-15287 G12. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa aff.rozeni. Image quality: 4. Aspect ratio: 0.874.

Dorsal. Specimen ID: 2740463. Field no.: CCDB-15287 H11. Taxon rep.: Xeromelissa sp. aff. rosie. Image quality: 3. Aspect ratio: 0.667.