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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.
A native plant associated with dry rocky areas...usually intermixed with woodlands. As a mint it probably is a reasonable bee plant as an obscure, small plant it probably hasn't been looked at that much. Classic native mint used in all sorts of teas and infusions. Photo and specimen by Helen Low Metzman, Howard County, MD.
A native plant associated with dry rocky areas...usually intermixed with woodlands. As a mint it probably is a reasonable bee plant as an obscure, small plant it probably hasn't been looked at that much. Classic native mint used in all sorts of teas and infusions. Photo and specimen by Helen Low Metzman, Howard County, MD.
Cupido comyntas, July 2012, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
Cupido comyntas, July 2012, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
Unknown large weevil from Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic
Unknown large weevil from Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic
Unknown large weevil from Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic
Unknown large weevil from Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic
Ironically, after posting a picture of a dead white footed mouse, we post a picture of a skin warble or bot fly from the same species or species group of mice. In this case this is Cuterebra fontinella, a rather handsome fly with an interesting lifestyle. Collected as part of a large bumblebee survey by volunteers for Eric Rayfield. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.
Ironically, after posting a picture of a dead white footed mouse, we post a picture of a skin warble or bot fly from the same species or species group of mice. In this case this is Cuterebra fontinella, a rather handsome fly with an interesting lifestyle. Collected as part of a large bumblebee survey by volunteers for Eric Rayfield. Photograph by Hannah Sutton.
Christmas lights jumping spider from the Dominican Republic, species unknown, but surprisingly marked with fluorescent scales
Christmas lights jumping spider from the Dominican Republic, species unknown, but surprisingly marked with fluorescent scales
Christmas Lights Jumping Spider from the Dominican Republic, species unknown, but surprisingly marked with fluorescent scales
Christmas Lights Jumping Spider from the Dominican Republic, species unknown, but surprisingly marked with fluorescent scales
Dalmannia pacifica Fly, Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming. In hand sanitizer in a cuvette Ben added a piece of black construction paper on the bottom of the cuvette to decrease the reflectance of the cuvette wall, this worked, but the paper bled purple/blue..for an interesting effect.
Dalmannia pacifica Fly, Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming. In hand sanitizer in a cuvette Ben added a piece of black construction paper on the bottom of the cuvette to decrease the reflectance of the cuvette wall, this worked, but the paper bled purple/blue..for an interesting effect.
Taraxacum officinale, common dandelion found in lawn of building 308 at the Beltsville Agriculture Research Center, Beltsville, MD
Taraxacum officinale, common dandelion found in lawn of building 308 at the Beltsville Agriculture Research Center, Beltsville, MD
Tenebrionidae, found at night chewing on a small patch of shelf fungi on a stump in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Tenebrionidae, found at night chewing on a small patch of shelf fungi on a stump in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Tenebrionidae, found at night chewing on a small patch of shelf fungi on a stump in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Tenebrionidae, found at night chewing on a small patch of shelf fungi on a stump in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Dasymutilla gloriosa. Thistledown Velvet Ant. Elizabeth Garcia who took this picture claimed this one creeped her out. ... and she sees a lot of wasps and bees. Not an ant, but a wasp. This it the wingeless female collected by Tim McMahon in Cochise County in Arizona. Desert.
Dasymutilla gloriosa. Thistledown Velvet Ant. Elizabeth Garcia who took this picture claimed this one creeped her out. ... and she sees a lot of wasps and bees. Not an ant, but a wasp. This it the wingeless female collected by Tim McMahon in Cochise County in Arizona. Desert.
Dasymutilla gloriosa. Thistledown Velvet Ant. Elizabeth Garcia who took this picture claimed this one creeped her out. ... and she sees a lot of wasps and bees. Not an ant, but a wasp. This it the wingeless female collected by Tim McMahon in Cochise County in Arizona. Desert.
Dasymutilla gloriosa. Thistledown Velvet Ant. Elizabeth Garcia who took this picture claimed this one creeped her out. ... and she sees a lot of wasps and bees. Not an ant, but a wasp. This it the wingeless female collected by Tim McMahon in Cochise County in Arizona. Desert.
Unknown species of Dasymutilla, Beltsville, Maryland 2012, July
Unknown species of Dasymutilla, Beltsville, Maryland 2012, July
Dasymutilla, Maryland, Beltsville, July 2012
Dasypoda plumipes, Hairy-footed Hairy-legged Bee, collected in the United Kingdom.The common name of this species is an accurate description of the bushy pollen carrying hind legs of the female (male bees do not transport pollen back to a nest).
Dasypoda plumipes, Hairy-footed Hairy-legged Bee, collected in the United Kingdom.The common name of this species is an accurate description of the bushy pollen carrying hind legs of the female (male bees do not transport pollen back to a nest).
Dasypoda plumipes, Hairy-footed Hairy-legged Bee, collected in the United Kingdom.The common name of this species is an accurate description of the bushy pollen carrying hind legs of the female (male bees do not transport pollen back to a nest).
Dasypoda plumipes, Hairy-footed Hairy-legged Bee, collected in the United Kingdom.The common name of this species is an accurate description of the bushy pollen carrying hind legs of the female (male bees do not transport pollen back to a nest).
Dasypoda plumipes, Hairy-footed Hairy-legged Bee, collected in the United Kingdom.The common name of this species is an accurate description of the bushy pollen carrying hind legs of the female (male bees do not transport pollen back to a nest).
Dasypoda plumipes, Hairy-footed Hairy-legged Bee, collected in the United Kingdom.The common name of this species is an accurate description of the bushy pollen carrying hind legs of the female (male bees do not transport pollen back to a nest).
Datura stramonium - Last year's pod of a Jimsonweed from the back edge of my property. Lovely mix of spines and the hardship and decline of a hard winter. Not a native species, but still lovely.
Datura stramonium - Last year's pod of a Jimsonweed from the back edge of my property. Lovely mix of spines and the hardship and decline of a hard winter. Not a native species, but still lovely.
Yet another deer fly that tried to bite me while running...note the lovely dark integument or skin on this one
Yet another deer fly that tried to bite me while running...note the lovely dark integument or skin on this one
Yet another deer fly that tried to bite me while running...note the lovely dark integument or skin on this one nicely contrasting its lovely purple flickr eyes
Yet another deer fly that tried to bite me while running...note the lovely dark integument or skin on this one nicely contrasting its lovely purple flickr eyes