All Multimedia

This is picture 7 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.

Oh, the subtleties of nature. Just looking at this lovely blend of burgandies, glowing light pink, and dark green is to come to worship the infinite. Am I allowed to say that? To gush, rather than dissect? Sure, who wants their government scientist all bound in the plastic cage of academic sciencespeak. So, to business then.

A small thin bee from Israel. This species is one of but 2 species in this rare genus. The other species occurs all the way down in Namibia. Another specimen from the Packer Lab.

A small thin bee from Israel. This species is one of but 2 species in this rare genus. The other species occurs all the way down in Namibia. Another specimen from the Packer Lab.

Bones and eggs don't photograph well with our standard photography set up. The light is too uniform and omnidirectional. Specimens simply wash out and the lovely shapes are difficult to see or, at least, appreciated. Enter the snott. A snoot is just a cone set over a flash that makes the light uniderectionalish.

Another old and ancient fulgorid specimen from the Smithsonian. If you peer upclose you can see that it is a wall of tiny dust and dirt specs a sign of a collection that at one point was not so collected as it is at the Natural History museum. The hole below the eye was likely made by a friendly dermestid larvae. Still useful and still spectacular.

Looking rather Roman | Phoenician is the humble Onthophahus hecate Scarab Beetle of unknown species from Charles County Maryland. The photograph is taken by Betsy Bangert and Mike Burchett a pair of bug heads if there ever was one.

Ophiogomphus susbehcha, cast skin, collected by Richard Orr along the Potomac River

Ophiogomphus susbehcha, cast skin, collected by Richard Orr along the Potomac River

Frederick County Maryland, Collected by Richard Orr

Frederick County Maryland, Collected by Richard Orr

James River at West View, teneral 4/23/2011, Collector S.M. Roble

James River at West View, teneral 4/23/2011, Collector S.M. Roble, beautiful stained glass wing coloration

Ophiogomphus susbehcha, cast skin, collected by Richard Orr along the Potomac River

Euglossa....the orchid bees, swanky glintlings of the New World tropical forests. The males gather fragrances produced by orchids who are then pollinated by the infatuations of these males.

Euglossa....the orchid bees, swanky glintlings of the New World tropical forests. The males gather fragrances produced by orchids who are then pollinated by the infatuations of these males.

Euglossa....the orchid bees, swanky glintlings of the New World tropical forests. The males gather fragrances produced by orchids who are then pollinated by the infatuations of these males.

Euglossa....the orchid bees, swanky glintlings of the New World tropical forests. The males gather fragrances produced by orchids who are then pollinated by the infatuations of these males.

Another orchid bee in the genus Euglossa from Guyana. At present no species name, but perhaps some day I will have time to work with David Roubik on the many species we collected on a Smithsonian expedition into the interior jungles. This is a male, collected using some of the orchid floral scents to attract them that they use in courtship rituals.

Another orchid bee in the genus Euglossa from Guyana. At present no species name, but perhaps some day I will have time to work with David Roubik on the many species we collected on a Smithsonian expedition into the interior jungles. This is a male, collected using some of the orchid floral scents to attract them that they use in courtship rituals.

Another orchid bee in the genus Euglossa from Guyana. At present no species name, but perhaps some day I will have time to work with David Roubik on the many species we collected on a Smithsonian expedition into the interior jungles. This is a male, collected using some of the orchid floral scents to attract them that they use in courtship rituals.