<p>Parasite.  Nest parasite to be exact.  Formerly in the genus Psithyrus these bees are now in the genus Bombus, with the rest of the bumble bees.  The idea is that they are just bumble bees that have decided that it is easier to invade other bumble bee nests and disable or kill the queen and have the old queen's daughters do their bidding....easier than doing all that pollen collecting themselves.  This species appears to be associated with B. perplexus and B. rufocinctus, though there is certainly much more to learn and likely additional hosts.  This male came from the State College area of Pennsylvania and collected by Laura Russo.  Notably outside of the normal range of B. rufocinctus.
<b>               21:33, 24 July 2017 (UTC)21:33, 24 July 2017 (UTC){{{{{{0}}}}}}21:33, 24 July 2017 (UTC)21:33, 24 July 2017 (UTC)</b>
</p><p>All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish.
</p><p><b>Photography Information: </b>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
</p><p><i></i>
Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all
Ye know on earth and all ye need to know
</p>
<pre>        " Ode on a Grecian Urn"
                      John Keats
</pre>
<p><i></i>
</p><p>You can also follow us on Instagram - account = USGSBIML     <b>Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use?  Well now here you go Citizen:</b>
</p><p>Art Photo Book:  Bees:  An Up-Close Look at Pollinators Around the World
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.amazon.com/Bees-Up-Close-Pollinators-Around-World/dp/0760347387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1488851025&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=bees+up+close">www.amazon.com/Bees-Up-Close-Pollinators-Around-World/dp/...</a>
</p><p>Free Field Guide to Bee Genera of Marylandhttp://bio2.elmira.edu/fieldbio/beesofmarylandbookversion1.pdf
Basic USGSBIML set up:
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY">www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY</a>
</p><p>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.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4">www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4</a>
</p><p>Bees of Maryland Organized by Taxa with information on each Genus
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/collections">www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/collections</a>
</p><p>PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up:  
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf">ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf</a>
</p><p>Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques:
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo">plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo</a>
or 
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU">www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU</a>
</p><p>Excellent Technical Form on Stacking:
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.photomacrography.net/">www.photomacrography.net/</a>
</p><p><b>Contact information:</b>  
Sam Droege  
sdroege@usgs.gov
</p>
301 497 5840
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/54563451@N08">USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab</a> from Beltsville, Maryland, USA
2017-07-22 19:08
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/36122065335/">Bombus fernaldae, m, back, Centre Co., PA_2017-06-16-14.50</a>