Images

Zizia - Every garden deserves a set of plant folks from the carrot family. This is Golden Alexanders, it even comes with a bee that only uses its pollen to feed its young, Andrena ziziae. Flat-topped and little flowers, this creates the perfect feeding platform for little wasps and bees. Check out the rest of the family and include them in your gardens too.

White-throated Sparrow, Died in downtown Washington D.C. in the fall or spring of 2012 from striking a building at night. Retrieved by the Lights out DC program

Unknown Beetle. Found on Andelot Farms in Kent County. I am not sure what genus this is. Seems like Acmaeodera, but it doesn't match and of the region's species I know. Captured in June. Photographed by Brooke Alexander.

New Lense set up! This is my first stack from a new lens set up that I learned from Johan Ingles-Le Nobel's lovely Extreme Macro layout.

Andrena miserabilis, showing sharp pronotal corners

Andrena nigrihirta, female, Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Sample of Dead Birds that struck buildings in Washington D.C. during the Fall and Spring of 2012 in a short stretch of streets from Union Station to the Convention Center, photo stitched together from 18 separate hi res shots.

The very common Two-striped Planthopper, Notice the veining in the wing that mimics the veins of a very tiny leaf.

Monster cleptoparasite, this dramatic species is a nest parasite of bees in the genus Centris and is endemic to South America. Note the one shot of the lovely expanded tibial spurs. I do not know their function, but it may have to do with nest invasions, either digging or gripping the walls of the nest. Lovely metallic blue / purple colors.

Bee tool, from a monster cleptoparasite, endemic to South America. Note the lovely expanded tibial spurs. I do not know their function, but it may have to do with nest invasions of Centris, either digging or gripping the walls of the nest. Lovely metallic blue / purple colors. From the Packer Lab.

The red maple, Acer rubrum, often one of the most dominant trees in deciduous woods in the East. It blooms very early in the spring and provides pollen and nectar to the set of bees, and flower flies, that come out early.

The red maple, Acer rubrum, often one of the most dominant trees in deciduous woods in the East. It blooms very early in the spring and provides pollen and nectar to the set of bees, and flower flies, that come out early.

The red maple, Acer rubrum, often one of the most dominant trees in deciduous woods in the East. It blooms very early in the spring and provides pollen and nectar to the set of bees, and flower flies, that come out early.

Another tree flower loving beetle from South Africa this one a buprestid, Acmaeodera virgo. Collected widely in bowl traps and in trees in Kruger National Park. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

Beetles from Kruger National Park in South Africa. This is the start of a series of pictures of insects that come to the flowers in Kruger. This is a project led by James Harrison from S.A. and Jonathan Mawdsley from the U.S. I was lucky enough to come along and do some bee collecting. Interesting system.

Acmaeodera ornata,

Black Cohosh, Actaea racemosa. An interesting flower of midsummer in forest openings. Seems to attract the odd bumble bee and Augochlora pura that linger in the shade. Collected and photographed by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Nectaring on goldenrod and aster, Beltsville, Maryland. Thanks to Chris Thompson for the identification.

Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus glabra. Buckeye's...one of the nice little acknowledged providers of pollen and nectar in forested environments. Specimen and photos by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ohio Buckeye. Aesculus glabra. Nice open understory tree you see more towards the west in Maryland and the Eastern U.S. Attracts a variety of woodland loving bees...in particular Augochlora pura. A nice color match. Picture and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus glabra. Buckeye's...one of the nice little acknowledged providers of pollen and nectar in forested environments. Specimen and photos by Helen Lowe Metzman.