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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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Melissodes desponsa, f, side, Maine, Du Clos
Melissodes desponsa, f, side, Maine, Du Clos
Melissodes desponsa, f, side, Maine, Du Clos

Pollen, pollen, pollen, pollen, on a Melissodes desponsa...a species usually associated with Thistles so this may well be thistle pollen. Note that while bees may carry loads of pollen on their legs...pollen usually gathers loosely all over the bee and this is thought to be the pollen that does much of the pollination on plants.

Pollen, pollen, pollen, pollen, on a Melissodes desponsa...a species usually associated with Thistles so this may well be thistle pollen. Note that while bees may carry loads of pollen on their legs...pollen usually gathers loosely all over the bee and this is thought to be the pollen that does much of the pollination on plants.

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Melissodes desponsa, F, side, Virginia, Prince William County
Melissodes desponsa, F, side, Virginia, Prince William County
Melissodes desponsa, F, side, Virginia, Prince William County

Virginia, front Royal Smithsonian project collected in northwest Virginia. A specialist on native thistles, in particular their pollen. This species is vulnerable 2 thistle control measures of the introduced bull and Canada Thistle species. the native species also disappear from areas where control eliminates all thistle.

Virginia, front Royal Smithsonian project collected in northwest Virginia. A specialist on native thistles, in particular their pollen. This species is vulnerable 2 thistle control measures of the introduced bull and Canada Thistle species. the native species also disappear from areas where control eliminates all thistle.

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Melissodes druriella, F, Side, VA, Norfolk
Melissodes druriella, F, Side, VA, Norfolk
Melissodes druriella, F, Side, VA, Norfolk

Captured in Southeast Virginia by students at Old Dominion University. Note that this specimens conforms to more interior specimens but has much less extensive presence of dark hairs on the Mesepisternum.

Captured in Southeast Virginia by students at Old Dominion University. Note that this specimens conforms to more interior specimens but has much less extensive presence of dark hairs on the Mesepisternum.

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Melissodes lupina,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes lupina,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes lupina,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY

There are many species of Melissodes and as you can see from this male, they aren't called Long-horn Bees for nothing. All or almost all of these species are summer to fall bees and most are fond to very fond of flowers in the Asteraceae family ... the fall composites by other names.

There are many species of Melissodes and as you can see from this male, they aren't called Long-horn Bees for nothing. All or almost all of these species are summer to fall bees and most are fond to very fond of flowers in the Asteraceae family ... the fall composites by other names.

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Melissodes lupina,m,face,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes lupina,m,face,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes lupina,m,face,Lincoln Co, WY

There are many species of Melissodes and as you can see from this male, they aren't called Long-horn Bees for nothing. All or almost all of these species are summer to fall bees and most are fond to very fond of flowers in the Asteraceae family ... the fall composites by other names.

There are many species of Melissodes and as you can see from this male, they aren't called Long-horn Bees for nothing. All or almost all of these species are summer to fall bees and most are fond to very fond of flowers in the Asteraceae family ... the fall composites by other names.

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Melissodes lupina,m,side,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes lupina,m,side,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes lupina,m,side,Lincoln Co, WY

There are many species of Melissodes and as you can see from this male, they aren't called Long-horn Bees for nothing. All or almost all of these species are summer to fall bees and most are fond to very fond of flowers in the Asteraceae family ... the fall composites by other names.

There are many species of Melissodes and as you can see from this male, they aren't called Long-horn Bees for nothing. All or almost all of these species are summer to fall bees and most are fond to very fond of flowers in the Asteraceae family ... the fall composites by other names.

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Melissodes lustra, F, Back, CA, Santa Barbara County
Melissodes lustra, F, Back, CA, Santa Barbara County
Melissodes lustra, F, Back, CA, Santa Barbara County

The Channel Islands off of the coast of California have their own endemic set of animals and plants. I would expect that there might be some insects of the bee kind that might be endemic to, though I'm not familiar enough with their literature to know that is the case. Here, is Melissodes lustra from those islands. Photography from Sue Boo.

The Channel Islands off of the coast of California have their own endemic set of animals and plants. I would expect that there might be some insects of the bee kind that might be endemic to, though I'm not familiar enough with their literature to know that is the case. Here, is Melissodes lustra from those islands. Photography from Sue Boo.

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Melissodes lustra, F, Face, CA, Santa Barbara County
Melissodes lustra, F, Face, CA, Santa Barbara County
Melissodes lustra, F, Face, CA, Santa Barbara County

The Channel Islands off of the coast of California have their own endemic set of animals and plants. I would expect that there might be some insects of the bee kind that might be endemic to, though I'm not familiar enough with their literature to know that is the case. Here, is Melissodes lustra from those islands. Photography from Sue Boo.

The Channel Islands off of the coast of California have their own endemic set of animals and plants. I would expect that there might be some insects of the bee kind that might be endemic to, though I'm not familiar enough with their literature to know that is the case. Here, is Melissodes lustra from those islands. Photography from Sue Boo.

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Melissodes lustra, F, Side, CA, Santa Barbara County
Melissodes lustra, F, Side, CA, Santa Barbara County
Melissodes lustra, F, Side, CA, Santa Barbara County

The Channel Islands off of the coast of California have their own endemic set of animals and plants. I would expect that there might be some insects of the bee kind that might be endemic to, though I'm not familiar enough with their literature to know that is the case. Here, is Melissodes lustra from those islands. Photography from Sue Boo.

The Channel Islands off of the coast of California have their own endemic set of animals and plants. I would expect that there might be some insects of the bee kind that might be endemic to, though I'm not familiar enough with their literature to know that is the case. Here, is Melissodes lustra from those islands. Photography from Sue Boo.

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Melissodes manipularis, m, back, sc spring island
Melissodes manipularis, m, back, sc spring island
Melissodes manipularis, m, back, sc spring island

A first state record for South Carolina. This is the uncommon Melissodes manipularis. Its a male as you can tell by the very long antennae. This bee was collected as part of a survey of coastal Spring Island by Merle Shepherd and compatriots.

A first state record for South Carolina. This is the uncommon Melissodes manipularis. Its a male as you can tell by the very long antennae. This bee was collected as part of a survey of coastal Spring Island by Merle Shepherd and compatriots.

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Melissodes manipularis, m, face, spring island, sc
Melissodes manipularis, m, face, spring island, sc
Melissodes manipularis, m, face, spring island, sc

A first state record for South Carolina. This is the uncommon Melissodes manipularis. Its a male as you can tell by the very long antennae. This bee was collected as part of a survey of coastal Spring Island by Merle Shepherd and compatriots.

A first state record for South Carolina. This is the uncommon Melissodes manipularis. Its a male as you can tell by the very long antennae. This bee was collected as part of a survey of coastal Spring Island by Merle Shepherd and compatriots.

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Melissodes manipularis, m, sc, spring island
Melissodes manipularis, m, sc, spring island
Melissodes manipularis, m, sc, spring island

A first state record for South Carolina. This is the uncommon Melissodes manipularis. Its a male as you can tell by the very long antennae. This bee was collected as part of a survey of coastal Spring Island by Merle Shepherd and compatriots.

A first state record for South Carolina. This is the uncommon Melissodes manipularis. Its a male as you can tell by the very long antennae. This bee was collected as part of a survey of coastal Spring Island by Merle Shepherd and compatriots.

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Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, back
Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, back
Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, back

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

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Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, face
Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, face
Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, face

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

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Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, side
Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, side
Melissodes near bimaculatus, f, virginia, pulaski county, side

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

Here is a Melissodes from Pulaski County, Virginia collected at the Radford Munitions Plant which is kept in high quality grasslands because they are good stewards.

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Melissodes rivalis,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes rivalis,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes rivalis,m,back,Lincoln Co, WY

So many bees so little time. This is Melissodes rivalis. A male. See the long antennae? That makes it one of the long-horned bees....a clade of several bee genera, mostly summer time species, composite lovers. This is but one of about 4000 U.S. species.

So many bees so little time. This is Melissodes rivalis. A male. See the long antennae? That makes it one of the long-horned bees....a clade of several bee genera, mostly summer time species, composite lovers. This is but one of about 4000 U.S. species.

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Melissodes rivalis,m,face,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes rivalis,m,face,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes rivalis,m,face,Lincoln Co, WY

From the obscure Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming comes the long-horned bee Melissodes rivalis. This is a male and the group, as a whole, is one of the many confusing bee groups with many tricky to identify members and secret new species to be found.

From the obscure Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming comes the long-horned bee Melissodes rivalis. This is a male and the group, as a whole, is one of the many confusing bee groups with many tricky to identify members and secret new species to be found.

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Melissodes rivalis,m,side,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes rivalis,m,side,Lincoln Co, WY
Melissodes rivalis,m,side,Lincoln Co, WY

So many bees so little time. This is Melissodes rivalis. A male. See the long antennae? That makes it one of the long-horned bees....a clade of several bee genera, mostly summer time species, composite lovers. This is but one of about 4000 U.S. species.

So many bees so little time. This is Melissodes rivalis. A male. See the long antennae? That makes it one of the long-horned bees....a clade of several bee genera, mostly summer time species, composite lovers. This is but one of about 4000 U.S. species.

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Melissodes subillata, f, back, velum, Dorchester Co, MD
Melissodes subillata, f, back, velum, Dorchester Co, MD
Melissodes subillata, f, back, velum, Dorchester Co, MD

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

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Melissodes subillata, f, face, velum, Dorchester Co, MD
Melissodes subillata, f, face, velum, Dorchester Co, MD
Melissodes subillata, f, face, velum, Dorchester Co, MD

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

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Melissodes subillata, f, side, velum, Dorchester Co, MD
Melissodes subillata, f, side, velum, Dorchester Co, MD
Melissodes subillata, f, side, velum, Dorchester Co, MD

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.

A small Melissodes bee, in a difficult to identify subgenus....in this case this specimen is covered with pollen, which pollen from what type of plant...? Unclear. But it is from a study of agricultural field edges in Maine by Brianne Du Clos...that much we know. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.