Images

A small braconid wasp caught in a malaise trap outside the lab in Beltsville, MDCanon 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, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

Bombus auricomus, A species regularly found in urban areas, but uncommon elsewhere, this one is from Baltimore along powerlines near the collectively owned Armistead Gardens

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, collected at Morris Arboretum by Stephanie Wilson

Male Bombus bimaculatus from Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, captured in the new native plant circle

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Chrysocolletes species, Wavy-haired Bee, specimen collected by Laurence in Australia Another genus of bees whose range is restricted to Australia; five species are known, but three of them are only known from male specimens, the females remain unknown.

An aptly named Rubytail so pungently colored that I had to take its picture when I came across it in Laurence Packer's Lab. If only this were a little larger an entire Kyrgyz tourism industry could be developed around just this one species. Thanks to Alxndr Brg for the determination.

Cicindela sexguttata

Tiger Beetle from one of the old sand mines that line the Patuxent River. Thankfully it is a sand mine that never was capped with clay and planted with invasive non-native plants...the standard operation in many parts of the country. Lisa Murray took the photographs.

Cicuta maculata,Water Hemlock. The most poisonous plant in North America. Children have died using the hollow stems as blowguns. Thankfully no children play outside any longer. Photo and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman from Howard County, MD.

One of the best pollinator plants ever. This is Circium discolor (field or pasture thistle). Its a native thistle, does not invade fields, is not perennial and has a whole suite of bees that depend on it and its relatives to provide pollen for their young. Please plant some, you will be thrilled with all the big dark winged bumble bees that show up too.

One of the best pollinator plants ever. This is Circium discolor (field or pasture thistle). Its a native thistle, does not invade fields, is not perennial and has a whole suite of bees that depend on it and its relatives to provide pollen for their young. Please plant some, you will be thrilled with all the big dark winged bumble bees that show up too.

A series of shots of Citrus Psyllid adults (including a recently emerged white adult) , and larvae of Diaphorina citri which is the transporting agent of citrus greening disease now devastating Florida's orange groves. Pictures taken at Level 3 level quarantine at USDA's Lab at Ft. Detrick, Maryland. Thanks to Tina Paul for fascilitating all of this.

A series of shots of Citrus Psyllid adults (including a recently emerged white adult) , and larvae of Diaphorina citri which is the transporting agent of citrus greening disease now devastating Florida's orange groves. Pictures taken at Level 3 level quarantine at USDA's Lab at Ft. Detrick, Maryland. Thanks to Tina Paul for fascilitating all of this.

Fluorescent Leafhopper, Coelidiana colens, from Peru. Just grabbed this tiny leafhopper from the Natural History Museum at random to play with some 10x shots...would have liked to have shot this one with a fresh specimen.

A lovely nest parasite of Megachile (leaf-cutter bees)....from Franklin County, Virginia. Picture taken by Brooke Alexander. Photography Information: 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.

Coelioxys alternata, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, collected by Stephanie Wilson at the Morris Arboretum

Most Coelioxys look similar (don't you agree?), dulled gray black, heavily pitted, with strong patterns of popping white hair bands. Ah, but here, we have one arrayed in batmobile colors, glossy, midnight black with reduced pitting and purple/black wings.

The dark and mysterious nest parasite of Megachile xylocopoides, one of the few records for the state of Maryland, but more are expected as M. xylocopoides spreads northward. This specimen from Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, Kent County.