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USGS Bee Lab at the Eastern Ecological Science Center images.

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Bolbocerosoma tumefactum, yellow, PWRC, md Face
Bolbocerosoma tumefactum, yellow, PWRC, md Face
Bolbocerosoma tumefactum, yellow, PWRC, md Face

Found in a bowl trap at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, this is Bolbocerosoma tumefactum, a rather handsome dung beetle that doesn't eat dung.

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Bombus affinis, F, face, big sky meadows, virginia
Bombus affinis, F, face, big sky meadows, virginia
Bombus affinis, F, face, big sky meadows, virginia

Still Here. I think this is big news and a big deal. T'ai Roulston and his identification triggerman Skyler Burrows stopped by the lab this week to work on some tricky bee ids and brought this Bombus affinis in from Sky Meadows State Park at the edge of the Blue Ridge in N. Virginia to have its picture taken.

Still Here. I think this is big news and a big deal. T'ai Roulston and his identification triggerman Skyler Burrows stopped by the lab this week to work on some tricky bee ids and brought this Bombus affinis in from Sky Meadows State Park at the edge of the Blue Ridge in N. Virginia to have its picture taken.

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Braconid Wasp, unknown, side, MD, Prince Georges
Braconid Wasp, unknown, side, MD, Prince Georges
Braconid Wasp, unknown, side, MD, Prince Georges

An early spring Braconid Wasp in the Agathidinae subfamily (thanks to Bob Kula USDA for the det) captured 3/20/2014 in Beltsville, Maryland, often associated with the parasitization of Moth and Butterfly Larvae.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

An early spring Braconid Wasp in the Agathidinae subfamily (thanks to Bob Kula USDA for the det) captured 3/20/2014 in Beltsville, Maryland, often associated with the parasitization of Moth and Butterfly Larvae.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

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Buffington05
Buffington05
Buffington05

This is picture 5 from a 12 picture invited series by Matt Buffington (matt.buffington@usda.gov) at the USDA Parastitic Hymentoptera group using specimens from the U.S. Natural History Museum Smithsonian.

This is picture 5 from a 12 picture invited series by Matt Buffington (matt.buffington@usda.gov) at the USDA Parastitic Hymentoptera group using specimens from the U.S. Natural History Museum Smithsonian.

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Caenochrysis doriae, U, Side, MD, Baltimore County
Caenochrysis doriae, U, Side, MD, Baltimore County
Caenochrysis doriae, U, Side, MD, Baltimore County

This, I feel, is as piquant as a picture can be. We are a production shop, we parse thousands of insect specimens collected by many people. At times, like this one, specimens come in that are uncommon or part of a study (here from a survey of Hart-Miller Island by Gene Scarpulla) and you take what you get.

This, I feel, is as piquant as a picture can be. We are a production shop, we parse thousands of insect specimens collected by many people. At times, like this one, specimens come in that are uncommon or part of a study (here from a survey of Hart-Miller Island by Gene Scarpulla) and you take what you get.

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Caenohalictus species, f, right, Near Eric Hampsteads, Chile
Caenohalictus species, f, right, Near Eric Hampsteads, Chile
Caenohalictus species, f, right, Near Eric Hampsteads, Chile

More from last year's expedition to Chile with Laurence Packer. Such a lovely country...we camped in a new place every day. Ping ponging from the Andes to the Coast sleeping along the road or in open pastures. Lovely people, easy travel, no problems with law enforcement people. This is a Caenohalictus species of some kind.

More from last year's expedition to Chile with Laurence Packer. Such a lovely country...we camped in a new place every day. Ping ponging from the Andes to the Coast sleeping along the road or in open pastures. Lovely people, easy travel, no problems with law enforcement people. This is a Caenohalictus species of some kind.

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Caenonomada unicalcarata, m, paraguay, angle
Caenonomada unicalcarata, m, paraguay, angle
Caenonomada unicalcarata, m, paraguay, angle

As the name implies this species from East of the Andes superficially resembles the parasitic bee genus Nomada. However for whatever reason they have chosen from the wardrobe of bee colors the same cloths they act quite differently. Of note is that both the males and females of this species gather oil in addition to the usual pollen and nectar.

As the name implies this species from East of the Andes superficially resembles the parasitic bee genus Nomada. However for whatever reason they have chosen from the wardrobe of bee colors the same cloths they act quite differently. Of note is that both the males and females of this species gather oil in addition to the usual pollen and nectar.

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Calliopsis coloradensis, f, face, Jackson Co., SD
Calliopsis coloradensis, f, face, Jackson Co., SD
Calliopsis coloradensis, f, face, Jackson Co., SD

A composite specialist. This is a small species that inhabits the central plains of the continent; leaking a bit east and west. Collected in Badlands of South Dakota. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

A composite specialist. This is a small species that inhabits the central plains of the continent; leaking a bit east and west. Collected in Badlands of South Dakota. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

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Calliopsis coloradensis, f, left, Jackson Co., SD
Calliopsis coloradensis, f, left, Jackson Co., SD
Calliopsis coloradensis, f, left, Jackson Co., SD

A composite specialist. This is a small species that inhabits the central plains of the continent; leaking a bit east and west. Collected in Badlands of South Dakota. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

A composite specialist. This is a small species that inhabits the central plains of the continent; leaking a bit east and west. Collected in Badlands of South Dakota. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

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Calliopsis edwardsii, f, left, Mariposa CA
Calliopsis edwardsii, f, left, Mariposa CA
Calliopsis edwardsii, f, left, Mariposa CA

The female of the already portrayed male Calliopsis edwardsii from Yosemite National Park and collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio examining the effect of fire diversity on bees (Ponisio et al. Global Change Biol. 2016). Photograph by Anders Croft.

The female of the already portrayed male Calliopsis edwardsii from Yosemite National Park and collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio examining the effect of fire diversity on bees (Ponisio et al. Global Change Biol. 2016). Photograph by Anders Croft.

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Calliopsis nebraskensis, male, side, wallingford town, CT
Calliopsis nebraskensis, male, side, wallingford town, CT
Calliopsis nebraskensis, male, side, wallingford town, CT

Now this is a rare bee, I have never seen or collected this species before seeing this lovely male in Kassie Urban-Mead's collection of bees from Connecticut, she collected it last year in a field on Verbena, there are only a scattering of records from NJ to Connecticut representing a disjunct population from the populations occurring in the western prairies, perhap

Now this is a rare bee, I have never seen or collected this species before seeing this lovely male in Kassie Urban-Mead's collection of bees from Connecticut, she collected it last year in a field on Verbena, there are only a scattering of records from NJ to Connecticut representing a disjunct population from the populations occurring in the western prairies, perhap

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Callonychium chilense, m, left, Maule Reservoir, Chile
Callonychium chilense, m, left, Maule Reservoir, Chile
Callonychium chilense, m, left, Maule Reservoir, Chile

Wayyyyyy up in the Andes spitting distance from Argentina, this wee Callonychium chilense was collected on an expedition with Laurence Packer to southern Chile. One of those one way dirt roads that hugs the mountains and gives one opportunity to fall into the valley in a truly spectacular way. Memorable.

Wayyyyyy up in the Andes spitting distance from Argentina, this wee Callonychium chilense was collected on an expedition with Laurence Packer to southern Chile. One of those one way dirt roads that hugs the mountains and gives one opportunity to fall into the valley in a truly spectacular way. Memorable.

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Callonychium species, m, side, peru
Callonychium species, m, side, peru
Callonychium species, m, side, peru

Southern South America is where you will find this as yet another group of relatively little studied bees. This one collected in Peru by the Packer lab and has some nice Wing Interference Pop.

Southern South America is where you will find this as yet another group of relatively little studied bees. This one collected in Peru by the Packer lab and has some nice Wing Interference Pop.

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Cassida rubiginosa, larvae, talbot, md, back
Cassida rubiginosa, larvae, talbot, md, back
Cassida rubiginosa, larvae, talbot, md, back

Hold Poo Over its Body - Yep, this is Cassida rubiginosa the Thistle Tortoise Beetle brought over here to fight the Canada Thistle, which is not actually from Canada, but just another example of how we try to bring Canada down by associating it with Alien Pests.

Hold Poo Over its Body - Yep, this is Cassida rubiginosa the Thistle Tortoise Beetle brought over here to fight the Canada Thistle, which is not actually from Canada, but just another example of how we try to bring Canada down by associating it with Alien Pests.

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Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, angle
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, angle
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, angle

A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

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Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, side
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, side
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, side

A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

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