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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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Lindernia dubia (Linnaeus) Pennell, False Pimpernel
Lindernia dubia (Linnaeus) Pennell, False Pimpernel
Lindernia dubia (Linnaeus) Pennell, False Pimpernel

Lindernia dubia, false pimpernel, one of numerous low growing flowering plants that feed the many tiny bees that live out there, that we don't pay any attention to. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Lindernia dubia, false pimpernel, one of numerous low growing flowering plants that feed the many tiny bees that live out there, that we don't pay any attention to. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.

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Liphanthus species, m, back, Site 20, Chile
Liphanthus species, m, back, Site 20, Chile
Liphanthus species, m, back, Site 20, Chile

A lovely and quirky looking Liphanthus from Southern Chile. Capture on expedition with Laurence Packer in 2017. Photograph by Anders Croft.

A lovely and quirky looking Liphanthus from Southern Chile. Capture on expedition with Laurence Packer in 2017. Photograph by Anders Croft.

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Liphanthus species, m, face, Site 20, Chile
Liphanthus species, m, face, Site 20, Chile
Liphanthus species, m, face, Site 20, Chile

A lovely and quirky looking Liphanthus from Southern Chile. Capture on expedition with Laurence Packer in 2017. Photograph by Anders Croft.

A lovely and quirky looking Liphanthus from Southern Chile. Capture on expedition with Laurence Packer in 2017. Photograph by Anders Croft.

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Liphanthus species, m, left, Site 20, Chile
Liphanthus species, m, left, Site 20, Chile
Liphanthus species, m, left, Site 20, Chile

A lovely and quirky looking Liphanthus from Southern Chile. Capture on expedition with Laurence Packer in 2017. Photograph by Anders Croft.

A lovely and quirky looking Liphanthus from Southern Chile. Capture on expedition with Laurence Packer in 2017. Photograph by Anders Croft.

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Lipotriches
Lipotriches
Lipotriches

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. Lipotriches kondeana. A bee from South Africa, Kruger National Park. Collected on expedition with James Harrison and Jonathan Mawdsley

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. Lipotriches kondeana. A bee from South Africa, Kruger National Park. Collected on expedition with James Harrison and Jonathan Mawdsley

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Lipotriches , f, australia, back
Lipotriches , f, australia, back
Lipotriches , f, australia, back

Lipotriches , Plain Sweat Bee , collected in AustraliaThis is one of the bees in which the males are known to form sleeping aggregations "“ small groups to dozens of individuals clustering together on the same twig late in the afternoon and remaining there until after dawn.

Lipotriches , Plain Sweat Bee , collected in AustraliaThis is one of the bees in which the males are known to form sleeping aggregations "“ small groups to dozens of individuals clustering together on the same twig late in the afternoon and remaining there until after dawn.

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Lipotriches , f, australia, face
Lipotriches , f, australia, face
Lipotriches , f, australia, face

Lipotriches , Plain Sweat Bee , collected in AustraliaThis is one of the bees in which the males are known to form sleeping aggregations "“ small groups to dozens of individuals clustering together on the same twig late in the afternoon and remaining there until after dawn.

Lipotriches , Plain Sweat Bee , collected in AustraliaThis is one of the bees in which the males are known to form sleeping aggregations "“ small groups to dozens of individuals clustering together on the same twig late in the afternoon and remaining there until after dawn.

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Lipotriches , f, australia, side
Lipotriches , f, australia, side
Lipotriches , f, australia, side

Lipotriches , Plain Sweat Bee , collected in AustraliaThis is one of the bees in which the males are known to form sleeping aggregations "“ small groups to dozens of individuals clustering together on the same twig late in the afternoon and remaining there until after dawn.

Lipotriches , Plain Sweat Bee , collected in AustraliaThis is one of the bees in which the males are known to form sleeping aggregations "“ small groups to dozens of individuals clustering together on the same twig late in the afternoon and remaining there until after dawn.

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Liquidambar styraciflua, bud, side, beltsville, md
Liquidambar styraciflua, bud, side, beltsville, md
Liquidambar styraciflua, bud, side, beltsville, md

A Light exists in SpringNot present on the YearAt any other period --When March is scarcely hereA Color stands abroadOn Solitary FieldsThat Science cannot overtakeBut Human Nature feels.It waits upon the Lawn,It shows the furthest TreeUpon the furthest Slope you knowIt almost speaks to you.Then as Horizons stepOr Noons report awayWithout the Formula of soundIt passe

A Light exists in SpringNot present on the YearAt any other period --When March is scarcely hereA Color stands abroadOn Solitary FieldsThat Science cannot overtakeBut Human Nature feels.It waits upon the Lawn,It shows the furthest TreeUpon the furthest Slope you knowIt almost speaks to you.Then as Horizons stepOr Noons report awayWithout the Formula of soundIt passe

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Liquidambar styraciflua, top, beltsville, md
Liquidambar styraciflua, top, beltsville, md
Liquidambar styraciflua, top, beltsville, md

Nothing is so beautiful as Spring--When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;Thrush's eggs look like little low heavens, and thrushThrough the echoing timber does so rinse and wringThe ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing;The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brushThe descending blue; that blue is all in a rushWith richness; the ra

Nothing is so beautiful as Spring--When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;Thrush's eggs look like little low heavens, and thrushThrough the echoing timber does so rinse and wringThe ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing;The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brushThe descending blue; that blue is all in a rushWith richness; the ra

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Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Back, GA, Baker County
Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Back, GA, Baker County
Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Back, GA, Baker County

The male of the female Lithurgopsis gibbosus already presented on this site. An uncommon species compared to its sister genus Megachile, it is often overlooked because of the superficial similarities.

The male of the female Lithurgopsis gibbosus already presented on this site. An uncommon species compared to its sister genus Megachile, it is often overlooked because of the superficial similarities.

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Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Face, GA, Baker County
Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Face, GA, Baker County
Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Face, GA, Baker County

The male of the female Lithurgopsis gibbosus already presented on this site. An uncommon species compared to its sister genus Megachile, it is often overlooked because of the superficial similarities.

The male of the female Lithurgopsis gibbosus already presented on this site. An uncommon species compared to its sister genus Megachile, it is often overlooked because of the superficial similarities.

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Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Side, GA, Baker County
Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Side, GA, Baker County
Lithurgopsis gibbosus, M, Side, GA, Baker County

The male of the female Lithurgopsis gibbosus already presented on this site. An uncommon species compared to its sister genus Megachile, it is often overlooked because of the superficial similarities.

The male of the female Lithurgopsis gibbosus already presented on this site. An uncommon species compared to its sister genus Megachile, it is often overlooked because of the superficial similarities.

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Lithurgus chrysurus, f, back, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, f, back, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, f, back, Pika County, PA

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

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Lithurgus chrysurus, f, face, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, f, face, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, f, face, Pika County, PA

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

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Lithurgus chrysurus, f, right, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, f, right, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, f, right, Pika County, PA

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

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Lithurgus chrysurus, m, back, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, m, back, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, m, back, Pika County, PA

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

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Lithurgus chrysurus, m, face, Pika County PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, m, face, Pika County PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, m, face, Pika County PA

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

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Lithurgus chrysurus, m, right, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, m, right, Pika County, PA
Lithurgus chrysurus, m, right, Pika County, PA

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

A bee from across the pond. This is Lithurgus chrysurus. This is a Euro bee, but in the 70s some one noticed that their house in Philipsburg, NJ was being drilled to bits by bees.

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Lithurgus gibbosus, F, back, NC, Moore County
Lithurgus gibbosus, F, back, NC, Moore County
Lithurgus gibbosus, F, back, NC, Moore County

In North America this genus are primarily cactus pollen specialists. Since this one was captured in the sandhills of North Carolina by Heather Campbell it is undoubtedly covered in Prickly Pear cactus pollen.

In North America this genus are primarily cactus pollen specialists. Since this one was captured in the sandhills of North Carolina by Heather Campbell it is undoubtedly covered in Prickly Pear cactus pollen.

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Lithurgus gibbosus, F, face, NC, Moore County
Lithurgus gibbosus, F, face, NC, Moore County
Lithurgus gibbosus, F, face, NC, Moore County

In North America this genus are primarily cactus pollen specialists. Since this one was captured in the sandhills of North Carolina by Heather Campbell it is undoubtedly covered in Prickly Pear cactus pollen.

In North America this genus are primarily cactus pollen specialists. Since this one was captured in the sandhills of North Carolina by Heather Campbell it is undoubtedly covered in Prickly Pear cactus pollen.