Images

The lovely web of branches in the pollen collecting hairs of this little bee Pseudopanurgus albitarsis is lovely. A more prairie like species, but here it is in the Shenadoah Valley...always more prairie like than the surrounding mountain landscapes. Collected by Morgan Rondinelli. Photographed by Brooke Alexander.

A mysterious group, Pseudopanurgus, not very common, probably are to some extent plant specialists, but little studied, almost for sure there are several new species throughout North America and even in the eastern portions, but yet, but yet"¦where is the young ready to embrace a new Adventure and sort all this lovely diversity?

A mysterious group, Pseudopanurgus, not very common, probably are to some extent plant specialists, but little studied, almost for sure there are several new species throughout North America and even in the eastern portions, but yet, but yet"¦where is the young ready to embrace a new Adventure and sort all this lovely diversity?

A mysterious group, Pseudopanurgus, not very common, probably are to some extent plant specialists, but little studied, almost for sure there are several new species throughout North America and even in the eastern portions, but yet, but yet"¦where is the young ready to embrace a new Adventure and sort all this lovely diversity?

Pseudopanurgus rugosus, collected by the glorious State of Virginia Natural Heritage group. This whole group is a bit of a nightmare. Uncommon, tiny, often very similar looking and widely ignored by taxonomists. I often have to leave them as sp....or as we say 'spuh'.

Pseudopanurgus rugosus, collected by the glorious State of Virginia Natural Heritage group. This whole group is a bit of a nightmare. Uncommon, tiny, often very similar looking and widely ignored by taxonomists. I often have to leave them as sp....or as we say 'spuh'.

Pseudopanurgus rugosus, collected by the glorious State of Virginia Natural Heritage group. This whole group is a bit of a nightmare. Uncommon, tiny, often very similar looking and widely ignored by taxonomists. I often have to leave them as sp....or as we say 'spuh'.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota, 2011

May or may not be a parasitic wasp, could be an aculeate, Dominican Republic, photographed floating in hand sanitizer in a quartz cuvette. Roger Burks via Doug Yanega identified this as Psilochalcis

Putting up the last 2 in the sieres of this species.Pterocheilus quinquefasciatus. - Hunter of caterpillars...in this case, hunter of caterpillars in South Dakota Badlands.

Putting up the last 2 in the sieres of this species.Pterocheilus quinquefasciatus. - Hunter of caterpillars...in this case, hunter of caterpillars in South Dakota Badlands.

Pterocheilus quinquefasciatus. - Hunter of caterpillars...in this case, hunter of caterpillars in South Dakota Badlands. This wasp has long stiff hairs on the palps of its tongue and it uses them like a basket...carrying dirt of its nest and away from the nest entrance so it is harder for parasitoids to track its babies locations.

Pterostichus permundus - A new Carabid Beetle for the State of Maryland. Captured at Cove Point at the tip of Calvert County Maryland by Brent Steury as part of his survey of the beetles of the site. For those of you who care, the leg shot is included showing the 4 tiny setae that separate this species from its sister taxa.

Pterostichus permundus - A new Carabid Beetle for the State of Maryland. Captured at Cove Point at the tip of Calvert County Maryland by Brent Steury as part of his survey of the beetles of the site. For those of you who care, the leg shot is included showing the 4 tiny setae that separate this species from its sister taxa.

I have nicknamed this bee (Ptilothrix bombiformis) the refuge bee because it is found so often on National Wildlife Refuges. Why? Well this species is a hibiscus specialist and refuges are full of impoundments and those impoundments often have fresh water hibiscus plants in them.

I have nicknamed this bee (Ptilothrix bombiformis) the refuge bee because it is found so often on National Wildlife Refuges. Why? Well this species is a hibiscus specialist and refuges are full of impoundments and those impoundments often have fresh water hibiscus plants in them.

I have nicknamed this bee (Ptilothrix bombiformis) the refuge bee because it is found so often on National Wildlife Refuges. Why? Well this species is a hibiscus specialist and refuges are full of impoundments and those impoundments often have fresh water hibiscus plants in them.

If you were to plant one plant for watching bees in your garden it would be this one Pycnathemum muticum (Mountain Mint). If forms clumps about 2 feet tall, with a uniform spread of continuous blooms. So many wasps and bees come its absolutely fabulous.

On a recent trip to York University to take pictures of bees from around the world. I was returning to his lab after a coffee field trip and was struck by the beautiful lines of some fresh red oak acorns.

On a recent trip to York University to take pictures of bees from around the world, I was returning to his lab after a coffee field trip and was struck by the beautiful lines of some fresh red oak acorns.

Experimental Shot. One of the problems with macro photography is that sometimes your subject is too big. In this case this lovely very large scarab beetle would not fit in the field of view of my MPE65. I could switch to a 100mm lens but I would then lose a lot of lovely detail.