Images

Petrified Forest National Monument, Arizona, Apache County

Gateway National Recreation Area, National Park Service

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Gateway National Recreation Area, National Park Service

Gateway National Recreation Area, National Park Service

A series of pictures from Silas Bossert from the National Collection at the Smithsonian. They use their own hi res camera equipment, but prefer a light background. Check the tongue on this bad girl, there is a story here of intense specialization by plant and bee. This tiny bee lives in the deserts of the SW U.S.

A wee 2mm Perilampid from Hart-Miller Island in the Chesapeake Bay collected by Gene Scarpulla and awaiting final deterimination.

More cute cockroach pictures..American Cockroach, Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

The smiling face of an American Cockroach...if you get over your pre-consieved notions, these are really pretty handsome insects and most people would not recognize them if they saw this picture.

Phenacolletes mimus, Australian Shorthair, specimen collected by Laurence Packer in AustraliaIn the dry, sparsely populated portions of Western Australia one can find the Australian Shorthair. While it is a pollen collecting bee, it has very short hairs, making it similar to some of the short, thick bodied waspy relatives of bees.

Philanthus gibbosus, female, Anne Arundel County, Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge, Maryland, July 2012, Determination by Matthias Buck

Philanthus gibbosus, female, Anne Arundel County, Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge, Maryland, July 2012 Determination by Matthias Buck

Dragonette. My competitor. AKA the Jagged Ambush Bug. These flower dragons tuck into flowers and jump on the bees (an other insects) that I study, injects them, liquefies their insides, and sucks them out, just like some people do emotionally to others. Rugged.

Dragonette. My competitor. AKA the Jagged Ambush Bug. These flower dragons tuck into flowers and jump on the bees (an other insects) that I study, injects them, liquefies their insides, and sucks them out, just like some people do emotionally to others. Rugged.

Ninebark. A lovely native shrub, that should be planted more often where there is a need for a large shrub. Grows well, is tough, handles drought, and it attracts pollinators. Photograph by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ninebark. A lovely native shrub, that should be planted more often where there is a need for a large shrub. Grows well, is tough, handles drought, and it attracts pollinators. Photograph by Helen Lowe Metzman.

If you are a bumble bee (how fascinating if you were...) this fly would be your worst nightmare. You be flying along, warmed by the sun as you joyfully gathered pollen and nectar from flowers, then Wham, this fly, about half your size, would latch onto you and with the tip of its abdomen force itself between your abdominal segments and insert its egg.

If you are a bumble bee (how fascinating if you were...) this fly would be your worst nightmare. You be flying along, warmed by the sun as you joyfully gathered pollen and nectar from flowers, then Wham, this fly, about half your size, would latch onto you and with the tip of its abdomen force itself between your abdominal segments and insert its egg.

Pokeweed. Spring greens to many southerners ... at least in the old days. I still eat some if I have my act together when they are growing (look up how to prep them). This is a beautiful plant, and should be a feature in any garden that has room.

The bug that is everywhere. Lygus lineolaris - The bug that is everywhere. Hard to escape this tiny sap sucking bug, ubiquitous in the East, and pesty in many cases, not given much love, but like all insects it owns and wears its colors well. Here at 10x you can see right into the omatidia that make up the eyes and appreciate a good design when you see one.