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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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Calliopsis edwardsii, f, left, Mariposa CA
Calliopsis edwardsii, f, left, Mariposa CA
Calliopsis edwardsii, f, left, Mariposa CA

The female of the already portrayed male Calliopsis edwardsii from Yosemite National Park and collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio examining the effect of fire diversity on bees (Ponisio et al. Global Change Biol. 2016). Photograph by Anders Croft.

The female of the already portrayed male Calliopsis edwardsii from Yosemite National Park and collected for a project done by Lauren Ponisio examining the effect of fire diversity on bees (Ponisio et al. Global Change Biol. 2016). Photograph by Anders Croft.

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Calliopsis edwardsii, face, Broward co, Florida
Calliopsis edwardsii, face, Broward co, Florida
Calliopsis edwardsii, face, Broward co, Florida

A little, somewhat flattened bee, from the mountains of Yosemite National Park. Members of this group are often very discriminating in their tastes for pollen. Feeding their young pollen often from a single genus of plants. Picky eaters I suppose. Part of a study by Claire Kremen in the high conifer regions of the Park. Photo by Anders Croft. P.S.

A little, somewhat flattened bee, from the mountains of Yosemite National Park. Members of this group are often very discriminating in their tastes for pollen. Feeding their young pollen often from a single genus of plants. Picky eaters I suppose. Part of a study by Claire Kremen in the high conifer regions of the Park. Photo by Anders Croft. P.S.

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Calliopsis edwardsii, right, Broward co, Florida
Calliopsis edwardsii, right, Broward co, Florida
Calliopsis edwardsii, right, Broward co, Florida

A little, somewhat flattened bee, from the mountains of Yosemite National Park. Members of this group are often very discriminating in their tastes for pollen. Feeding their young pollen often from a single genus of plants. Picky eaters I suppose. Part of a study by Claire Kremen in the high conifer regions of the Park. Photo by Anders Croft.

A little, somewhat flattened bee, from the mountains of Yosemite National Park. Members of this group are often very discriminating in their tastes for pollen. Feeding their young pollen often from a single genus of plants. Picky eaters I suppose. Part of a study by Claire Kremen in the high conifer regions of the Park. Photo by Anders Croft.

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Calliopsis nebraskensis, Male, Back, New Haven County, CT
Calliopsis nebraskensis, Male, Back, New Haven County, CT
Calliopsis nebraskensis, Male, Back, New Haven County, CT

Now this is a rare bee, I have never seen or collected this species before seeing this lovely male in Kassie Urban-Mead's collection of bees from Connecticut, she collected it last year in a field on Verbena, there are only a scattering of records from NJ to Connecticut representing a disjunct population from the populations occurring in the western prairies, perhap

Now this is a rare bee, I have never seen or collected this species before seeing this lovely male in Kassie Urban-Mead's collection of bees from Connecticut, she collected it last year in a field on Verbena, there are only a scattering of records from NJ to Connecticut representing a disjunct population from the populations occurring in the western prairies, perhap

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Calliopsis nebraskensis, Male, face, wallingford town, CT
Calliopsis nebraskensis, Male, face, wallingford town, CT
Calliopsis nebraskensis, Male, face, wallingford town, CT

Perhaps it is too late at night or that I am listening to Enyaesque music and nibbling on pure cacao, but I am transfixed by this particular bee and shot, it just calls up something ancient, something that really brings home the fact that our evolutionary paths separated long ago.

Perhaps it is too late at night or that I am listening to Enyaesque music and nibbling on pure cacao, but I am transfixed by this particular bee and shot, it just calls up something ancient, something that really brings home the fact that our evolutionary paths separated long ago.

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Calliopsis nebraskensis, male, side, wallingford town, CT
Calliopsis nebraskensis, male, side, wallingford town, CT
Calliopsis nebraskensis, male, side, wallingford town, CT

Now this is a rare bee, I have never seen or collected this species before seeing this lovely male in Kassie Urban-Mead's collection of bees from Connecticut, she collected it last year in a field on Verbena, there are only a scattering of records from NJ to Connecticut representing a disjunct population from the populations occurring in the western prairies, perhap

Now this is a rare bee, I have never seen or collected this species before seeing this lovely male in Kassie Urban-Mead's collection of bees from Connecticut, she collected it last year in a field on Verbena, there are only a scattering of records from NJ to Connecticut representing a disjunct population from the populations occurring in the western prairies, perhap

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Calliopsis sp., m, back, Cochise Co., AZ
Calliopsis sp., m, back, Cochise Co., AZ
Calliopsis sp., m, back, Cochise Co., AZ

Calliopsis. Another of the many kinds of small bees that run the world. This is one was collected in Arizona by Tim McMahon or Don Harvey in fabulous Cochise County.

Calliopsis. Another of the many kinds of small bees that run the world. This is one was collected in Arizona by Tim McMahon or Don Harvey in fabulous Cochise County.

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Calliopsis sp., m, face, Cochise Co., AZ
Calliopsis sp., m, face, Cochise Co., AZ
Calliopsis sp., m, face, Cochise Co., AZ

Calliopsis. Another of the many kinds of small bees that run the world. This is one was collected in Arizona by Tim McMahon or Don Harvey in fabulous Cochise County.

Calliopsis. Another of the many kinds of small bees that run the world. This is one was collected in Arizona by Tim McMahon or Don Harvey in fabulous Cochise County.

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Calliopsis sp., m, right side, Cochise Co., AZ
Calliopsis sp., m, right side, Cochise Co., AZ
Calliopsis sp., m, right side, Cochise Co., AZ

Calliopsis. Another of the many kinds of small bees that run the world. This is one was collected in Arizona by Tim McMahon or Don Harvey in fabulous Cochise County.

Calliopsis. Another of the many kinds of small bees that run the world. This is one was collected in Arizona by Tim McMahon or Don Harvey in fabulous Cochise County.

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Calliphora vicina, u, Face, DC
Calliphora vicina, u, Face, DC
Calliphora vicina, u, Face, DC

The face of insect form, layout, and ratios. Have to download and print to really see the details on this bad boy. Found near the Mall in downtown D.C.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,

The face of insect form, layout, and ratios. Have to download and print to really see the details on this bad boy. Found near the Mall in downtown D.C.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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Calliphora vicina, u, side, DC
Calliphora vicina, u, side, DC
Calliphora vicina, u, side, DC

Ah, the hidden beauty of flies. Have to download and print to really see the details on this bad boy. . Found near the Mall in downtown D.C.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

Ah, the hidden beauty of flies. Have to download and print to really see the details on this bad boy. . Found near the Mall in downtown D.C.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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Calliphora vicina,u, back, DC
Calliphora vicina,u, back, DC
Calliphora vicina,u, back, DC

Ah, the hidden beauty of flies. Found near the Mall in downtown D.C.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,

Ah, the hidden beauty of flies. Found near the Mall in downtown D.C.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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Callistethus marginatus, U, Side, MD, Somerset
Callistethus marginatus, U, Side, MD, Somerset
Callistethus marginatus, U, Side, MD, Somerset

Callistethus marginatus - A scarab beetle in the Shining Leaf Chafer subfamily of the Scarab Beetles. This one from Somerset County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The photograph is taken by Betsy Bangert and Mike Burchett.

Callistethus marginatus - A scarab beetle in the Shining Leaf Chafer subfamily of the Scarab Beetles. This one from Somerset County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The photograph is taken by Betsy Bangert and Mike Burchett.

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Callliopsis trifasciata, m, back, West of Los Puquitos, Chile
Callliopsis trifasciata, m, back, West of Los Puquitos, Chile
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Callliopsis trifasciata, m, face, West of Los Puquitos, Chile
Callliopsis trifasciata, m, face, West of Los Puquitos, Chile
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Callliopsis trifasciata, m, left, West of Los Puquitos, Chile
Callliopsis trifasciata, m, left, West of Los Puquitos, Chile
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Callohesma flavopicta, f, face, australia
Callohesma flavopicta, f, face, australia
Callohesma flavopicta, f, face, australia

A tiny Australian. One associated with the many members of plants in the myrtle family on that continent.

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Callohesma flavopicta, f, side, australia
Callohesma flavopicta, f, side, australia
Callohesma flavopicta, f, side, australia

A tiny Australian. One associated with the many members of plants in the myrtle family on that continent.

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Callohesma flavopicta, f, side2, australia
Callohesma flavopicta, f, side2, australia
Callohesma flavopicta, f, side2, australia

A tiny Australian. One associated with the many members of plants in the myrtle family on that continent.

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Callonychium chilense, m, back, Maule Reservoir, Chile
Callonychium chilense, m, back, Maule Reservoir, Chile
Callonychium chilense, m, back, Maule Reservoir, Chile

Wayyyyyy up in the Andes spitting distance from Argentina, this wee Callonychium chilense was collected on an expedition with Laurence Packer to southern Chile. One of those one way dirt roads that hugs the mountains and gives one opportunity to fall into the valley in a truly spectacular way. Memorable.

Wayyyyyy up in the Andes spitting distance from Argentina, this wee Callonychium chilense was collected on an expedition with Laurence Packer to southern Chile. One of those one way dirt roads that hugs the mountains and gives one opportunity to fall into the valley in a truly spectacular way. Memorable.

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Callonychium chilense, m, face, Maule Reservoir, Chile
Callonychium chilense, m, face, Maule Reservoir, Chile
Callonychium chilense, m, face, Maule Reservoir, Chile

Wayyyyyy up in the Andes spitting distance from Argentina, this wee Callonychium chilense was collected on an expedition with Laurence Packer to southern Chile. One of those one way dirt roads that hugs the mountains and gives one opportunity to fall into the valley in a truly spectacular way. Memorable.

Wayyyyyy up in the Andes spitting distance from Argentina, this wee Callonychium chilense was collected on an expedition with Laurence Packer to southern Chile. One of those one way dirt roads that hugs the mountains and gives one opportunity to fall into the valley in a truly spectacular way. Memorable.

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