Discoveries

New Bee Species for Martha’s Vineyard

The Azalea Mining Bee, Anderna cornelli, has been found on Martha’s Vineyard, raising the total of bee species known on the island to 193. Sharon Britton found several individuals on rhododendron flowers in her yard in West Tisbury.

Townsend’s Solitaire Sighted

Vineyard birds enjoyed a blast of wintertime excitement with the discovery, in Correllus State Forest on February 21, 2023, of the island’s third-ever Townsend’s Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi). The bird was found and identified by “Sea” Williams and Bridget Dunnigan.

“The Swiss Army Knife of Mushrooms”

Rarely reported on Martha’s Vineyard, the birch polypore fungus is a powerhouse of useful traits and chemical components.

When Life Gives You Mussels, Take Photos

iNaturalist helps two alert observers identify a freshwater mussel from a West Tisbury pond. Almost nothing seems to be known about these shellfish on the Vineyard.

Cuckoo Bees

These fascinating bees are kleptoparasites of other bees, laying their eggs in the nests of their host species instead of provisioning there own nests. One cuckoo bee, Coelioxyx octodentatus, was recently added to the Vineyard’s Bee checklist.

Hairy-banded Mining Bee – Andrena hirticincta

The Hairy-banded Miner Bee, Andrena hirticincta, is one of the most recognizable solitary bees known from Martha’s Vineyard, occurring in late summer and early fall wherever goldenrod, this bee’s favorite pollen source, is found.

Great Blue Skimmer

A new iNaturalist user recently documented a great blue skimmer (Libellula vibrans) in Chilmark. There are only a handful of previous records for the Vineyard.

Carrot Wasp

A Chilmark record adds the unusual wasp genus Gasteruption to the MV Atlas of Life.

White Colic-root

This member of the lily family is a characteristic plant of the Vineyard sandplain and a popular place to stop for a wide range of pollinators.

Deer Bot Fly

An odd-looking fly with an even odder life history.