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Photo#28955
Bee? - Euglossa dilemma - female

Bee? - Euglossa dilemma - Female
Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida, USA
February 9, 2004
Size: 640x480
I took this picture in Gumbo Limbo park in Boca Raton. I have never seen a bee like this before, if it's even a bee. I have a higher res photo also if needed.

Euglossa orchid be!
Yes, this IS a bee, and a very exciting one! Euglossa is supposed to be a tropical bee genus that gets no farther north than some Caribbean islands. Over the last year or two, they have been turning up regularly in southern Florida. Whether they are strays blown in on hurricanes (happens more frequently than you'd imagine), or are now established and reproducing, is debatable. Please report this siting, with your image, to the Florida department of agriculture. They have trapped males in fruit fly traps, but this may be a new locality. Thank you so much for sharing! Oh, they get the name "orchid bee" from the behavior of males which harvest fragrant oils from the flowers and then use them in courtship.

 
Thank you for the reply! I'l
Thank you for the reply! I'll send it to them right away.
There were quite a few of them and I managed to get close enough for a few semi-macro shots. I'll repost if I hear anything.

Thanks again

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