A female bee, 9.5 mm, found on yellow thistle (Cirsium horridulum). There were many Osmia chalybea, the host bee for Stelis ater, feeding on the same thistle and other neighboring thistles.
There is very little difference in appearance between this species, as described, and the widespread Stelis diversicolor. The host of the latter is unknown, and so behavioral differences between these species also have not been established. Stelis diversicolor, as described, runs generally smaller, but there are records of 10 mm female Stelis diversicolor.
Female and male dark Stelis like the one shown here are common in spring 2024 on thistles in more than one location of Alachua County. We also have seen large (12 mm) dark Stelis identical to this bee as far southeast in Florida as Aurantia (Brevard County).
Found by Stephanie & Kristy on early-blooming Rusty Staggerbush on Riviera Trail. FYI, same plants still in bud on Upland Trail.
A trip targeting Duke's Skipper (that eluded us) with Clint Gibson and John Lampkin (in one vehicle) and Don Fraser and me (in a second vehicle).
We drove Main Grade to Tannic Road, then turned around at a serious wash-out, then headed east to Powder Road, which is just inside Lake County. These observations are for Sumter County.
The weather at the start was sunny and 83 degrees with mostly calm winds. We entered Lake County at 1008.
With Don Fraser and others (including Juli deGrummond, Brian Cammarano, Holly & Mark Salvato, and Debbie Grimes): an unsuccessful chase of the First-Florida-record Couch's Kingbird. The weather at the start was sunny and 70 degrees ("feels like" 70) with a light breeze. We mostly hung out at the southwestern corner of the park, with 20 minutes spent along the railroad tracks immediately to the south, but I made two complete loops of the park to avoid boredom and to look elsewhere for the kingbird. We left at 1725 and enjoyed a delicious dinner at Chompers in Fanning Springs before heading home.
Fred and Idah Schultz Preserve, Hillsborough County, Florida
Mating pair. Other shots show female, premating, and the male approach. Contact was a second or less. Flower is Sparkleberry, Vaccinium arboreum.
Dorsal shots were obtained to confirm ID