Images

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150 year old specimen from Mexico that was deposited in the Paris Entomological Collection. Note the crenulated antennae and the fact that the specimen has largely retained its shape and color all these years. Many of these old specimens are still our reference points for taxonomy, distributions, and what things were like in the past.

One of the most common bees in the East...if only we could figure out how to identify it more easily. Here we have Lasioglossum trigeminum. Fits right in with A. admirandum, A. versatum, and A. callidum and I often struggle with dark second thoughts about the specimens Id, because of all the overlap.

Elephantopus carolinianus - One of the elephant's foot group. I heard that it can be a good pollinator plant, but don't, as of yet, have much in the way of experience these. Photo and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Destroyer of Ash, this is Agrilus planipennis an invasive Buprestid that has invaded North America where it feeds on Ash. trees. At this point all ash trees in North America are threatened and could ecologically eliminate them from North American forests. On the other hand it is a beautiful Buprestid beetle that simply was brought to the wrong place.

A series of 6 pictures of 3 species of very uncommon beetles that are new records for the region from George Washington Memorial Parkway unit of the National Park Service. Collected by Brent Steury.

Entylia carinata, arrayed in pits and prominances, the Keeled Treehopper is a mighty beast up close. Collected in Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Plucked while foraging on frost asters in Beltsville, Maryland, You can still see the dusting of pollen on this species. Thanks to Chris Thompsons for the ID

The poster child for rare bees of concern in North America. This is Epeoloides pilosula, collected on David Wagner's study of the conservation landscape of transmission lines. This is a nest parasite of Macropis oil bees. In this study they found both M. nuda and M. ciliata uncommon bees in themselves.

A nest parasite of Colletes bees, this sharp looking, heavily armored Epeolus bifasciatus was found in Badlands National Park in South Dakota

This very very rare bee invades the nests of bees in the genus Colletes. Captured by Heather Campbell in the Sandhills of North Carolina and photographed by Amber JoyceCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Photographer: Sam Droege, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

Rare, Rare, Rare. This Epeolus howardi, a nest parasite of one of the Cellophane Bees in the genus Colletes. Which species of Colletes, you ask, as is more often the case than not ... we don't know. This bee has only been collected a handful of times in the Mid-Atlantic states and that is about all we know.

Rare, Rare, Rare. This Epeolus howardi, a nest parasite of one of the Cellophane Bees in the genus Colletes. Which species of Colletes, you ask, as is more often the case than not ... we don't know. This bee has only been collected a handful of times in the Mid-Atlantic states and that is about all we know.

Collected in South Dakota in Badlands National Park, this tiny nest parasite of Colletes is the first record for the state. Amber Reese took the pictureCanon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia...A pretty little nest parasite of Colletes bees

Ahhhhhh, something new under the sun. Alma Solis a USDA entomologist showed me these specimens of the smallish moth Epitamyra thermalis. After finding essentially nothing about these moths and the super cool sound structure on these male's wings I wrote Alma and she replied: "Sam, you are venturing into scientific NEW information.

Eriotremex formosanus, A giant introduced horntail from Asia found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

A headshot of the uncommon specialist bee, Dufourea monardae. As one might suppose, based on the species part of its name this is a monarda specialist.

An uncommonly collected species whose status is largely unknow because people don't spend enough time swimming in the mud to look at the bees coming to Pickerelweed. There are 3 eastern uncommon species all from different genera who are specialists on this plant...this is one, and was collected in Maine by Samantha Gallagher.

An uncommonly collected species whose status is largely unknow because people don't spend enough time swimming in the mud to look at the bees coming to Pickerelweed. There are 3 eastern uncommon species all from different genera who are specialists on this plant...this is one, and was collected in Maine by Samantha Gallagher.

An uncommonly collected species whose status is largely unknow because people don't spend enough time swimming in the mud to look at the bees coming to Pickerelweed. There are 3 eastern uncommon species all from different genera who are specialists on this plant...this is one, and was collected in Maine by Samantha Gallagher.