m-stanton's Favourites

~9mm in length, antennae; pale ventral side. Did not know the males visited the nest, perhaps a new bee (son) not ready to leave yet. Appeared to be guarding the nest entrance from possible intruders including ants. Nest appeared to be communal, a female seen in the same nest here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/123152265

Possibly assessing the chance of a light rain or monsoon from inside her nest/burrow or nest guarding. This appeared to be a communal burrow. A male bee, possibly a son, guarding the same nest can be viewed here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/123141023

I walked over a hillside and below me I see a tortoise sitting outside her burrow. When she saw me she immediately turned around and went back inside her burrow. I took this pic using my headlamp as light. Low-mid 70’s at 5:46pm. Hastily looked around for other burrows, but didn’t see any in this side of the wash and embankment she was on. Calling her a “her” based on the short tail, although she could be a juvenile male.

I had identified this bramble colony as R. bifrons (first time seen in DFW) from photos after I found R. pascuus for the first time in the metroplex too. I couldn't wait to go see it for myself and tick off all 5 TX species on my life list!

Picture descriptions and general notes:
1 - White abaxial leaf surfaces (general pic for ID)
STEMS
2 - Primocane #1
3 - Primocane #1 close up; nearly erect prickles with broad bases, pubescent
4 - Primocane #2; retrorse prickles
5 - Cross section of primocane #1 showing pentagonal shape
6 - Floricane #1; retrorse prickles with broad bases, pubescent
7 - Floricane #1 close up
8 - Older floricanes (#2) bicolored; red on top, green on bottom
9 - Floricane #2; features consistent with floricane #1
10/11 - Floricane #2 prickles 5mm wide and 6mm long
12/13 - Primocane prickles 4mm wide and 6mm long
14 - Stems growing densely underneath leaf canopy
LEAVES
15 - Dense leafy growth
16 - Terminal leaflet; shape: oval, base: rounded, margins: serrate, apex: caudate to attenuate; surface: not lustrous
17 - Abaxial leaf surface; petioles, petiolules, and primary veins armed; secondary veins and blade unarmed
18 - Petiole
19 - Terminal petiolule
20 - Primary and secondary veins
21 - Abaxial leaf blade white tomentose
22 - Stipules very long and narrow; Axillary bud present
23 - New leaves appear more corrugated and shinier than older leaves which are duller, less corrugated, and wider
24 - Several leaves with misshapen leaflets, or even a single oversized leaflet
GROWTH/HABIT
25 - New growth creeps along the edges, could be mistaken for vining/low habit
26 - 5 Leaflets on creeping floricanes more consistent than shrubby sections
27 - General growth habitat; between the bank of a creek and a concrete pathway; Full sun; This particular section was typically 4 ft high
28 - R. bifrons growing closest to path, with Cornus drummondii closest to the creek bank; Other nearby vegetation includes Celtis laevigata, Maclura pomifera, Salix nigra, Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica, Paspalum dilatatum, Calyptocarpus vialis
29 - Trying to estimate plant height using an isosceles right triangle based on the 6 foot wide path. Plants average 4-6 feet (12-18 dm)
30 - This particular colony of R. bifrons measured 166m along the edge
31 - Even when soil was scarce, the creeping canes would still spread thickly over the rocky ground.
32 - Soil along creek was clay over limestone
33 - USGS map indicates soil content: Thick clay units and thin limestone units alternating clay, marl, and limestone

Additional observations:

-- My first impression was this is the thickest growth, both in floricanes and leaf coverage, of any of the upright species. In heavy shade (under trees) the growth was not as thick or as tall. Probably the biggest colony of Rubus I've seen.
-- Several leaves had misshapen lateral leaflets, or a single leaflet, (1-)3-5 leaflets overall.

-- No prior season inflorescences seen at all. Nothing remaining on the stems or on the ground. (R. pascuus still has inflorescences attached at this time.)

Found a decent population of these bees at the Shawnee marina along the Ohio River. It was an overcast day and the bees were out mid morning into early afternoon. Unfortunately the next day the state mowed some of the morning glories.
Scioto Co. Ohio
4 August 2021