Bees Archives - El Mesteño® Ranch and Arboretum

“Micrograph Photo Gallery of a female Mesoxaea texana”

Camille — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 02:27:09 +0000

C. M. Smith Rich, Owner/Steward

El Mesteño Ranch ®

Female Mesoxaea texana

Her Pygidial Plate

Her Mandibles and the Tip of Her Tongue

Her Wing Tip – Frayed Edges

Wing Close Up

Scopal Hairs on Her Sternum

One of her Tarsal Claws

Scopal Hairs on Her Leg

Her Antennal Sockets

Thank you for stopping by!

“Micrograph Photo Gallery of a female Mesoxaea texana”
“Mesoxaea texana and Protoxaea gloriosa found on Dr. Steve Bentsen’s Dos Venadas Ranch in June 2026!”
2025 was a Banner Year for our Mesoxaea texana on the South Texas Sand Sheet in Puerto Rico, Texas!
“El Glorioso,” our Protoxaea gloriosa, is back on the South Texas Sand Sheet!
Lycus fernandezi – a species of net-winged beetle on the South Texas Sand Sheet.

The post “Micrograph Photo Gallery of a female Mesoxaea texana” appeared first on El Mesteño® Ranch and Arboretum.

“Mesoxaea texana and Protoxaea gloriosa found on Dr. Steve Bentsen’s Dos Venadas Ranch in June 2026!”

Camille — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 02:12:00 +0000

C. M. Smith Rich, Owner/Steward

El Mesteño Ranch ®

Dr. Steve Bentsen, Owner/Steward of Dos Venadas Ranch, graciously granted Cat Traylor, of CEEYAL Ranch in San Isidro, Texas, and I permission to come out to his place and hunt for Mesoxaea texana (Mt) and Protoxaea gloriosa (Prtg) back in early June 2026. Dr. Bentsen graciously showed Cat and I around several hundred acres of pristine, immaculate, endangered, Tamaulipan thornscrub habitat as we set about hunting for Mt and Prtg.

My hopes were high as we tenaciously tracked through numerous senderos (trails) looking for the preferred, associated plant taxa—Salvia ballotiflora (Sb) and Waltheria indica (Wi)—that my favorite, fuzzy bees have shown a preference for. Simultaneously, we noted soil compositions underneath our feet as we concurrently searched for areas of red, sandy soil with open, bare spots that might accommodate the elusive Mt nest I have been faithfully searching for since 2021.

Just as I was about to give up all hope after several hours of hard tracking looking for sign, Dr. Bentsen wheeled us into a gorgeous cache of Sb surrounding a lovely, large pond he had installed for the benefit of all wildlife. Lo and behold, all of this area was firmly grounded and rooted in that beautiful red, sandy soil we had also been looking for. In that moment, my heart fluttered a bit. My palms got sweaty. This would probably be our last stop of the day. The bee hunt was back on!

We spread out several yards from each other, and then carefully walked the edges of the brushy habitat in a circular pattern looking for these rare bees. We paid particular attention to any Sb that we came across. I continued skimming and scanning the skies for signs of large, fuzzy bees with transparent wings with black tips flying fast, hovering, or exhibiting challenging behaviors towards any of us.

Suddenly, and almost as if on cue, Cat, aka “Eagle Eye,” hollers out, “Camille! I think this is ‘El Guapo!’” Dr. Bentsen and I rush over to get a visual on the bee. IT IS a Mesoxaea texana! After only approximately five minutes of searching this particular site, the star of the show had made their arrival! YAY!!!!!! MISSION ACCOMMPLISHED!

Maintaining a watchful eye as I continue the bee patrol to track and record video of the numerous Mt’s that were showing up, pretty soon a large, fuzzy bee that looked slightly different than Mt comes into my field of view. For a minute, my brain was trying to process the new bee foraging on Sb before me, when it dawned on me that I was laying eyes on the first Prtg we had seen of the day! I hollered, “El Glorioso!” “El Glorioso!” In short order, Dr. Bentsen quickly moved into position for photo documentation of the bee. And just like that, more outstanding, rare bee, glamour shots on the books for Dos Venadas for this banner day!

In retrospect, as our ranch visit with Dr. Bentsen came to a close that day, my heart was so happy and full. I was thrilled to be able to help a neighbor find a very special bee on the property he had nurtured, cared for, and protected for so many years. The word that came to my mind as we said our goodbyes was “Success.” Success for Dr. Steve Bentsen. Success for Dos Venadas. Success for “El Guapo.” Success for “El Glorioso.” Success for Cat. Success for me.

Together, Dr. Bentsen, Cat, and I found another perfectly protected, pristine, incredible habitat that these two rare “Primos” can live on, thrive on, and multiply on in perpetuity—Dos Venadas Ranch. It can’t get much better than this! What a storybook ending to a storybook day—one that I can assure you I will never forget.

The post “Mesoxaea texana and Protoxaea gloriosa found on Dr. Steve Bentsen’s Dos Venadas Ranch in June 2026!” appeared first on El Mesteño® Ranch and Arboretum.

2025 was a Banner Year for our Mesoxaea texana on the South Texas Sand Sheet in Puerto Rico, Texas!

Camille — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 17:31:29 +0000

by C. M. Smith Rich

**The Mesoxaea texana were out for two observed, documented emergence cycles in 2025 on the South Texas Sand Sheet**:

First Cycle: May 17, 2025 – June 20, 2025
Second Cycle: September 6, 2025 – October 1, 2025

**Observed, documented associated taxa for our Mesoxaea texana from 2021 – 2026:**

Waltheria indica / Hierba Del Soldado
Salvia ballotiflora / Shrubby Blue Sage
Eysenhardtia texana / Texas Kidneywood
Aloysia gratissima / White Brush / Common Bee Brush
Citharexylum berlandieri / Berlandier’s Fiddlewood
Cynanchum barbigerum / Thicket Threadvine / Aphid Vine
Funastrum cynanchoides / Climbing Milkweed
Chloroleucon ebano / Texas Ebony
Caesalpinia mexicana / Mexican Ceasalpinia
Clematis drummondii / Old Man’s Beard / Barbas De Chivato
Lippia graveolens / Mexian Oregano / Redbrush Lippia
Florestina tripteris / Three Lobed Florestina

Saliva ballotiflora

Eysenhardtia texana

Waltheria indica

Mesoxaea texana behaviors observed/documented from 2021 – 2026:

Territorial Patrol
- Hovering
- Challenging
- Zooming
Territorial Aggression
- Combat Behaviors Observed:
  - Head-butting aka “Booping”
  - Dive-Bombing / Shoving
  - Grappling / Wresting, aka “Bee-Nado”
Foraging
Grooming
Copulation

Female Mesoxaea texana appears to be grooming on this gusty day:

Female Mesoxaea texana hanging on to Waltheria indica.

Female Mesoxaea texana appears to be impaled on Prickly Pear spines just after the male Mesoxaea texana that was mating with her flew away.

**One of our male Mesoxaea texana fell prey to a stealthy Lynx spider:**

Male Mesoxaea texana found in a deadly Lynx spider embrace.

**A male Mesoxaea texana, aka our “El Guapo,” under a microscope:**

Male Mesoxaea texana under a microscope.

Micrographs of our male Mesoxaea texana:

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“El Guapo”

Male Mesoxaea texana

**Stay tuned for preliminary 2026 data for the Mesoxaea texana‘s emergence cycle that was observed and documented as of April 21, 2026–and which is still currently on-going as of July 7, 2026!!!!**

Thank you for your visit!!!!

**P.S. I am still searching for a Mesoxaea texana nest site!!!!**

The post 2025 was a Banner Year for our Mesoxaea texana on the South Texas Sand Sheet in Puerto Rico, Texas! appeared first on El Mesteño® Ranch and Arboretum.

“El Glorioso,” our Protoxaea gloriosa, is back on the South Texas Sand Sheet!

Camille — Sun, 24 May 2026 20:13:01 +0000

by C. M. Smith Rich

“El Glorioso” is back!

Many aerial displays on May 20, 2026!

On May 20, 2026, as I was out on a walking survey looking for our “El Guapo,” our Mesoxaea texana, I saw another pair of familiar, large, gorgeous, green eyes buzzing around the Texas Kidneywood. It has been a little over a year—May 17, 2025—since I last saw “El Glorioso.”

Let’s compare and contrast “El Glorioso” on the left and “El Guapo” on the right:

**I am hoping to see the female Protoxaea gloriosa on future visits!**

Thank you for your visit, and thank you for your time!

The post “El Glorioso,” our Protoxaea gloriosa, is back on the South Texas Sand Sheet! appeared first on El Mesteño® Ranch and Arboretum.