Images

Another unknown Chrysops species from Maryland, see assocaited back shot for possible id, collected from the resulting cloud of flies after a run through Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Maryland

A bit of the green seed head of one of my favorite grasses, I leave patches of this plant when I mow the "lawn." Presumably this is Dichanthelium clandestinum (formerly Panicum clandestinum), but am not sure if there are look alikes in my area.Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler,

I think many people think of cacti as icons, something made for us to look at, but since we rarely use cacti for anything and because their fleshy shapes and lifestyles are so different we think of them more as lampposts than integrated into our landscapes as much as the grasses, forbs, and trees. But without cacti entire worlds would disappear.

Collected in Chile in Patagonia near Chile Chico,on an expedition with Laurence Packer. This is a Diadasia of some sort. Laurence, surely will figure out all the species names so we can update these pictures.

Collected in Chile in Patagonia near Chile Chico,on an expedition with Laurence Packer. This is a Diadasia of some sort. Laurence, surely will figure out all the species names so we can update these pictures.

South Dakota, Badlands national Park

South Dakota, Badlands national Park

Dianthidium concinnum, Male, Pennington County, South Dakota

Helicoverpa zea - Corn Earworm - According to Wikipedia its the second most economically damaging insect pest in North America, chewing on a wide variety of crop plants. This most certainly is true, but it also not a bad looking animal when viewed close up.

The dogwood of the people. Cornus florida. Planted widely. Formerly forming a subcanopy of white in the spring in much of the eastern forests. Then, the Dogwood Anthracnose comes and most of those interior woodland dogwood are now gone and dogwood is largely confined to edges of woodlands or plantings in the open. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ah, the dancing curves of Corydalis flavula. A small part of the glory of spring in the Mid-Atlantic states. Picture and specimen from Helen Lowe Metzman from Howard County, Maryland.

GENITALIA! In this case the beautiful genitalia of Cosmorrhyncha one of the bitty moths in the family Tortricidae. Thanks to John W. Brown for supplying the slide. See previous picture for more details. For some reason this makes me think of biker gang insignia....

Cotesia congregata - a little parasite of caterpillars. This one is from Karen Kester's lab in Richmond where she and her gradstudents raise them and discover things about the host (Sphinx moths I believe) parasite relationship. Photo by Greta Forbes.

Cotesia congregata - a little parasite of caterpillars. This one is from Karen Kester's lab in Richmond where she and her gradstudents raise them and discover things about the host (Sphinx moths I believe) parasite relationship. Photo by Greta Forbes.

An unknown Crab Spider or perhaps running crab spider, identification help would be great, I hope to post another shot of the back at some point. Beltsville, Maryland

South Carolina, carolina sandhills national wildlife refuge

Dianthidium curvatum, how cool is this bee? Specimens collected here from Sabrie Breland in Baker County in Georgia, we should all live in such a bee rich location. 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.

Who doesn't like the look of this bee? Another shot of specimen from southern Georgia collected by Sabrie Breland. 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.

South Dakota, Badlands national Park

Dianthidium simile, female, Michigan, July 2011, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Dieunomia heteropoda, male, note the flanges on the rear tibia