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Explore our planet through photography and imagery, including climate change and water all the way back to the 1800s when the USGS was surveying the country by horse and buggy.

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Sphecodes davisii, f, face, NY, essex county
Sphecodes davisii, f, face, NY, essex county
Sphecodes davisii, f, face, NY, essex county

Sphecodes davisii - Collected in the Adirondack Mountains as part of an expedition to the region in 2014. No Sphecodes gathers pollen. All Sphecodes are nest parasites. Laying their eggs in the nests of other species. Most are nest parasites of species in their family of Halictidae...but sometimes they dabble in other species.

Sphecodes davisii - Collected in the Adirondack Mountains as part of an expedition to the region in 2014. No Sphecodes gathers pollen. All Sphecodes are nest parasites. Laying their eggs in the nests of other species. Most are nest parasites of species in their family of Halictidae...but sometimes they dabble in other species.

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Sphecodes davisii, f, side, NY, essex county
Sphecodes davisii, f, side, NY, essex county
Sphecodes davisii, f, side, NY, essex county

Sphecodes davisii - Collected in the Adirondack Mountains as part of an expedition to the region in 2014. No Sphecodes gathers pollen. All Sphecodes are nest parasites. Laying their eggs in the nests of other species. Most are nest parasites of species in their family of Halictidae...but sometimes they dabble in other species.

Sphecodes davisii - Collected in the Adirondack Mountains as part of an expedition to the region in 2014. No Sphecodes gathers pollen. All Sphecodes are nest parasites. Laying their eggs in the nests of other species. Most are nest parasites of species in their family of Halictidae...but sometimes they dabble in other species.

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Sphecodes fattigi, f, back, Caroline Co., VA
Sphecodes fattigi, f, back, Caroline Co., VA
Sphecodes fattigi, f, back, Caroline Co., VA

Red Butts. Red abdomens are not super common in the bee world BUT (so to speak) many of those with red abdomens are parasitic members of Sphecodes (fattigi in this picture) or Nomada in North America. On other continents, its other groups. This come from Fort A.P Hill, collected by Ellison Orcutt and company from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Red Butts. Red abdomens are not super common in the bee world BUT (so to speak) many of those with red abdomens are parasitic members of Sphecodes (fattigi in this picture) or Nomada in North America. On other continents, its other groups. This come from Fort A.P Hill, collected by Ellison Orcutt and company from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

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Sphecodes fattigi, f, face, Caroline Co., VA
Sphecodes fattigi, f, face, Caroline Co., VA
Sphecodes fattigi, f, face, Caroline Co., VA

Red Butts. Red abdomens are not super common in the bee world BUT (so to speak) many of those with red abdomens are parasitic members of Sphecodes (fattigi in this picture) or Nomada in North America. On other continents, its other groups. This come from Fort A.P Hill, collected by Ellison Orcutt and company from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Red Butts. Red abdomens are not super common in the bee world BUT (so to speak) many of those with red abdomens are parasitic members of Sphecodes (fattigi in this picture) or Nomada in North America. On other continents, its other groups. This come from Fort A.P Hill, collected by Ellison Orcutt and company from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

close up of image
Sphecodes fattigi, f, right, Caroline Co., VA
Sphecodes fattigi, f, right, Caroline Co., VA
Sphecodes fattigi, f, right, Caroline Co., VA

Red Butts. Red abdomens are not super common in the bee world BUT (so to speak) many of those with red abdomens are parasitic members of Sphecodes (fattigi in this picture) or Nomada in North America. On other continents, its other groups. This come from Fort A.P Hill, collected by Ellison Orcutt and company from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Red Butts. Red abdomens are not super common in the bee world BUT (so to speak) many of those with red abdomens are parasitic members of Sphecodes (fattigi in this picture) or Nomada in North America. On other continents, its other groups. This come from Fort A.P Hill, collected by Ellison Orcutt and company from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

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Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Back, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside
Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Back, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside
Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Back, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside

More Sphecodes shots....this one again from our expedition to the Adirondack Mountains. A big species (for a Sphecodes) about 2/3rds the size of a honey bee. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

More Sphecodes shots....this one again from our expedition to the Adirondack Mountains. A big species (for a Sphecodes) about 2/3rds the size of a honey bee. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

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Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Face, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside
Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Face, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside
Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Face, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside

More Sphecodes shots....this one again from our expedition to the Adirondack Mountains. A big species (for a Sphecodes) about 2/3rds the size of a honey bee. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

More Sphecodes shots....this one again from our expedition to the Adirondack Mountains. A big species (for a Sphecodes) about 2/3rds the size of a honey bee. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

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Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Side, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside
Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Side, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside
Sphecodes ranunculi, F, Side, NY, Vipers Boscoss Roadside

More Sphecodes shots....this one again from our expedition to the Adirondack Mountains. A big species (for a Sphecodes) about 2/3rds the size of a honey bee. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

More Sphecodes shots....this one again from our expedition to the Adirondack Mountains. A big species (for a Sphecodes) about 2/3rds the size of a honey bee. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

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Sphecodes sp, F, Back 1, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Sphecodes sp, F, Back 1, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Sphecodes sp, F, Back 1, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel

A species of Sphecodes captured in agriculture areas of Puerto Rico by Sara Prado. This is either a new island record or a new species as there are no known records for Sphecodes for the island. Notice the lovely WIPs (Wing Interference Patterns)

A species of Sphecodes captured in agriculture areas of Puerto Rico by Sara Prado. This is either a new island record or a new species as there are no known records for Sphecodes for the island. Notice the lovely WIPs (Wing Interference Patterns)

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Sphecodes sp, F, Side, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Sphecodes sp, F, Side, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Sphecodes sp, F, Side, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel

A species of Sphecodes captured in agriculture areas of Puerto Rico by Sara Prado. This is either a new island record or a new species as there are no known records for Sphecodes for the island. Notice the lovely WIPs (Wing Interference Patterns)

A species of Sphecodes captured in agriculture areas of Puerto Rico by Sara Prado. This is either a new island record or a new species as there are no known records for Sphecodes for the island. Notice the lovely WIPs (Wing Interference Patterns)

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Sphecodes species, F, Back, HI, Maui County
Sphecodes species, F, Back, HI, Maui County
Sphecodes species, F, Back, HI, Maui County

An odd story of invasion. This is a Sphecodes, we have posted a series of them recently on Flickr. They are nest parasites. They gather no pollen themselves. There are many species...the odd thing is that I found this on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. The only native bees on the island (discounting some maybe native bees) are masked bee from the genus Hylaeus.

An odd story of invasion. This is a Sphecodes, we have posted a series of them recently on Flickr. They are nest parasites. They gather no pollen themselves. There are many species...the odd thing is that I found this on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. The only native bees on the island (discounting some maybe native bees) are masked bee from the genus Hylaeus.

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Sphecodes species, F, Back, MD, Cecil County
Sphecodes species, F, Back, MD, Cecil County
Sphecodes species, F, Back, MD, Cecil County

An unknown species of Sphecodes collected by Tim McMahon in Cecil County. Interesting to ask why Sphecodes often have bring red abdomens when bees theoretically can't see red. Photographed by Brooke Alexander

An unknown species of Sphecodes collected by Tim McMahon in Cecil County. Interesting to ask why Sphecodes often have bring red abdomens when bees theoretically can't see red. Photographed by Brooke Alexander

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Sphecodes species, F, Face, HI, Maui County
Sphecodes species, F, Face, HI, Maui County
Sphecodes species, F, Face, HI, Maui County

An odd story of invasion. This is a Sphecodes, we have posted a series of them recently on Flickr. They are nest parasites. They gather no pollen themselves. There are many species...the odd thing is that I found this on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. The only native bees on the island (discounting some maybe native bees) are masked bee from the genus Hylaeus.

An odd story of invasion. This is a Sphecodes, we have posted a series of them recently on Flickr. They are nest parasites. They gather no pollen themselves. There are many species...the odd thing is that I found this on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. The only native bees on the island (discounting some maybe native bees) are masked bee from the genus Hylaeus.

close up of image
Sphecodes species, F, Face, MD, Cecil County
Sphecodes species, F, Face, MD, Cecil County
Sphecodes species, F, Face, MD, Cecil County

An unknown species of Sphecodes collected by Tim McMahon in Cecil County. Interesting to ask why Sphecodes often have bring red abdomens when bees theoretically can't see red. Photographed by Brooke Alexander

An unknown species of Sphecodes collected by Tim McMahon in Cecil County. Interesting to ask why Sphecodes often have bring red abdomens when bees theoretically can't see red. Photographed by Brooke Alexander

close up of image
Sphecodes species, F, Side, HI, Maui County
Sphecodes species, F, Side, HI, Maui County
Sphecodes species, F, Side, HI, Maui County

An odd story of invasion. This is a Sphecodes, we have posted a series of them recently on Flickr. They are nest parasites. They gather no pollen themselves. There are many species...the odd thing is that I found this on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. The only native bees on the island (discounting some maybe native bees) are masked bee from the genus Hylaeus.

An odd story of invasion. This is a Sphecodes, we have posted a series of them recently on Flickr. They are nest parasites. They gather no pollen themselves. There are many species...the odd thing is that I found this on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. The only native bees on the island (discounting some maybe native bees) are masked bee from the genus Hylaeus.

close up of image
Sphecodes species, F, Side, MD, Cecil County
Sphecodes species, F, Side, MD, Cecil County
Sphecodes species, F, Side, MD, Cecil County

An unknown species of Sphecodes collected by Tim McMahon in Cecil County. Interesting to ask why Sphecodes often have bring red abdomens when bees theoretically can't see red. Photographed by Brooke Alexander

An unknown species of Sphecodes collected by Tim McMahon in Cecil County. Interesting to ask why Sphecodes often have bring red abdomens when bees theoretically can't see red. Photographed by Brooke Alexander

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Sphecodes tainoi, F, Back, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Sphecodes tainoi, F, Back, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Sphecodes tainoi, F, Back, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel

A species of Sphecodes tainoi captured in agriculture areas of Puerto Rico by Sara Prado. This is a new island recordfor the island.Notice the lovely WIPs (Wing Interference Patterns)

A species of Sphecodes tainoi captured in agriculture areas of Puerto Rico by Sara Prado. This is a new island recordfor the island.Notice the lovely WIPs (Wing Interference Patterns)

close up of image
Sphecodes tainoi, F, Face, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Sphecodes tainoi, F, Face, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Sphecodes tainoi, F, Face, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel

Sphecodes tainoi captured in agriculture areas of Puerto Rico by Sara Prado. This is a new island record, previously there were no known records for Sphecodes for the island.Notice the lovely WIPs (Wing Interference Patterns)

Sphecodes tainoi captured in agriculture areas of Puerto Rico by Sara Prado. This is a new island record, previously there were no known records for Sphecodes for the island.Notice the lovely WIPs (Wing Interference Patterns)

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Sphecodes, female, back
Sphecodes, female, back
Sphecodes, female, back

Well, Sphecodes is a tough group to identify and we shouldn't have photographed it without getting a species ID, but ...it is a lovely to look at bee. Sierra Williams took the picture.

Well, Sphecodes is a tough group to identify and we shouldn't have photographed it without getting a species ID, but ...it is a lovely to look at bee. Sierra Williams took the picture.

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Spicebush
Spicebush
Spicebush

Lindera benzoin - The blossom of the spicebush shrub, common in the bottomlands in the region. Scratching the stem releases wonderful all spice similar smells. Photography Information: 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.

Lindera benzoin - The blossom of the spicebush shrub, common in the bottomlands in the region. Scratching the stem releases wonderful all spice similar smells. Photography Information: 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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spider 10 2, beltsville, md
spider 10 2, beltsville, md
spider 10 2, beltsville, md

Tiny Oxyopes spider (thanks Bob Kallal for id) only resolvable using a 10x microscope objective attached to a 200mm lens....so much going on amidst those blades of long grass in the tiny pastures we allow to grow, where complicated comings and goings occur in such grand webs of complexity that mowing becomes not just conformity...but slaughter.

Tiny Oxyopes spider (thanks Bob Kallal for id) only resolvable using a 10x microscope objective attached to a 200mm lens....so much going on amidst those blades of long grass in the tiny pastures we allow to grow, where complicated comings and goings occur in such grand webs of complexity that mowing becomes not just conformity...but slaughter.

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