Event Details
Mesoxaea texana: A rare bee flying the skies over the South Texas Sand Sheet
About This Event
Discover the buzz about one of South Texas’s rarest native bees, Mesoxaea texana! 🐝🪻
First spotted in 2021 at El Mesteño Ranch, this big, fuzzy, ground-nesting bee has captured the attention of local naturalist Camille M. Rich, who has been closely documenting its life and habitat. In this lively talk, you’ll learn how to identify this unique pollinator, where to find it across the Rio Grande Valley, and how you can create bee-friendly spaces at home. With a newly confirmed second sighting expanding its known range, the excitement is growing—come be part of the discovery and celebration of this remarkable native species!
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:
Camille M. Rich is the proud owner and steward of a small piece of endangered Tamaulipan thorn scrub located in the South Texas Sand Sheet in Northwestern Hidalgo County, Texas. One of her passions includes documenting the species that visit a watering hole that she installed in 2008 for the sole purpose of supporting the wildlife on her property. Recently, she has taken up astrophotography---a hobby which she had on the back burner for several years. In addition to actively pursuing these passions, she continues to document and record sightings and observational data on two, rare, native bee species—the Mesoxaea texana and the Protoxaea gloriosa---that call the sandy soils of El Mesteño Ranch® home.
Ms. Rich is a retired public educator with thirty years of experience and completed the Texas Master Naturalist training back in 2013. Her passion for the enjoyment and preservation of
wildlife is a driving force in her daily life. One of her greatest joys is getting to share her South Texas Sand Sheet nature stories and experiences with others.
https://www.facebook.com/ElMesteno
https://elmestenoranch.com
https://www.facebook.com/events/866542699792628/
First spotted in 2021 at El Mesteño Ranch, this big, fuzzy, ground-nesting bee has captured the attention of local naturalist Camille M. Rich, who has been closely documenting its life and habitat. In this lively talk, you’ll learn how to identify this unique pollinator, where to find it across the Rio Grande Valley, and how you can create bee-friendly spaces at home. With a newly confirmed second sighting expanding its known range, the excitement is growing—come be part of the discovery and celebration of this remarkable native species!
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:
Camille M. Rich is the proud owner and steward of a small piece of endangered Tamaulipan thorn scrub located in the South Texas Sand Sheet in Northwestern Hidalgo County, Texas. One of her passions includes documenting the species that visit a watering hole that she installed in 2008 for the sole purpose of supporting the wildlife on her property. Recently, she has taken up astrophotography---a hobby which she had on the back burner for several years. In addition to actively pursuing these passions, she continues to document and record sightings and observational data on two, rare, native bee species—the Mesoxaea texana and the Protoxaea gloriosa---that call the sandy soils of El Mesteño Ranch® home.
Ms. Rich is a retired public educator with thirty years of experience and completed the Texas Master Naturalist training back in 2013. Her passion for the enjoyment and preservation of
wildlife is a driving force in her daily life. One of her greatest joys is getting to share her South Texas Sand Sheet nature stories and experiences with others.
https://www.facebook.com/ElMesteno
https://elmestenoranch.com
https://www.facebook.com/events/866542699792628/
