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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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Quercus rubrum, acorn cap, ontario
Quercus rubrum, acorn cap, ontario
Quercus rubrum, acorn cap, ontario

On a recent trip to York University to take pictures of bees from around the world. I was returning to his lab after a coffee field trip and was struck by the beautiful lines of some fresh red oak acorns.

On a recent trip to York University to take pictures of bees from around the world. I was returning to his lab after a coffee field trip and was struck by the beautiful lines of some fresh red oak acorns.

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Quercus rubrum, acorn2, ontario
Quercus rubrum, acorn2, ontario
Quercus rubrum, acorn2, ontario

On a recent trip to York University to take pictures of bees from around the world, I was returning to his lab after a coffee field trip and was struck by the beautiful lines of some fresh red oak acorns.

On a recent trip to York University to take pictures of bees from around the world, I was returning to his lab after a coffee field trip and was struck by the beautiful lines of some fresh red oak acorns.

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Rainbow Scarab, face1, silver spring, md
Rainbow Scarab, face1, silver spring, md
Rainbow Scarab, face1, silver spring, md

Experimental Shot. One of the problems with macro photography is that sometimes your subject is too big. In this case this lovely very large scarab beetle would not fit in the field of view of my MPE65. I could switch to a 100mm lens but I would then lose a lot of lovely detail.

Experimental Shot. One of the problems with macro photography is that sometimes your subject is too big. In this case this lovely very large scarab beetle would not fit in the field of view of my MPE65. I could switch to a 100mm lens but I would then lose a lot of lovely detail.

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Red maple, seeds
Red maple, seeds
Red maple, seeds

Acer rubrum, young forming samara, Beltsville, Maryland April 2013

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redbud thing
redbud thing
redbud thing

I believe that this is the seed of a planted Redbud tree. I took it as a test shot in Steven's Point, WI...which is outside of the normal range of the species, someone else provided the pod. So I leave for others to identify

I believe that this is the seed of a planted Redbud tree. I took it as a test shot in Steven's Point, WI...which is outside of the normal range of the species, someone else provided the pod. So I leave for others to identify

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rediviva, f, south africa, back
rediviva, f, south africa, back
rediviva, f, south africa, back

Rediviva species, Black Daddy Longlegs Oil Bee, collected in South Africa We showed the male already...here is the female.What fantastically cool bees! These bees have extremely long front legs that they use to collect oil from plants, using the oil instead of nectar as food for the larvae. At the end of their legs are sponge-like patches of hairs.

Rediviva species, Black Daddy Longlegs Oil Bee, collected in South Africa We showed the male already...here is the female.What fantastically cool bees! These bees have extremely long front legs that they use to collect oil from plants, using the oil instead of nectar as food for the larvae. At the end of their legs are sponge-like patches of hairs.

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rediviva, f, south africa, face
rediviva, f, south africa, face
rediviva, f, south africa, face

Rediviva species, Black Daddy Longlegs Oil Bee, collected in South Africa We showed the male already...here is the female.What fantastically cool bees! These bees have extremely long front legs that they use to collect oil from plants, using the oil instead of nectar as food for the larvae. At the end of their legs are sponge-like patches of hairs.

Rediviva species, Black Daddy Longlegs Oil Bee, collected in South Africa We showed the male already...here is the female.What fantastically cool bees! These bees have extremely long front legs that they use to collect oil from plants, using the oil instead of nectar as food for the larvae. At the end of their legs are sponge-like patches of hairs.

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rediviva, f, south africa, face2
rediviva, f, south africa, face2
rediviva, f, south africa, face2

Rediviva species, Black Daddy Longlegs Oil Bee, collected in South Africa We showed the male already...here is the female.What fantastically cool bees! These bees have extremely long front legs that they use to collect oil from plants, using the oil instead of nectar as food for the larvae. At the end of their legs are sponge-like patches of hairs.

Rediviva species, Black Daddy Longlegs Oil Bee, collected in South Africa We showed the male already...here is the female.What fantastically cool bees! These bees have extremely long front legs that they use to collect oil from plants, using the oil instead of nectar as food for the larvae. At the end of their legs are sponge-like patches of hairs.

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rediviva, f, south africa, side
rediviva, f, south africa, side
rediviva, f, south africa, side

Rediviva species, Black Daddy Longlegs Oil Bee, collected in South Africa We showed the male already...here is the female.What fantastically cool bees! These bees have extremely long front legs that they use to collect oil from plants, using the oil instead of nectar as food for the larvae. At the end of their legs are sponge-like patches of hairs.

Rediviva species, Black Daddy Longlegs Oil Bee, collected in South Africa We showed the male already...here is the female.What fantastically cool bees! These bees have extremely long front legs that they use to collect oil from plants, using the oil instead of nectar as food for the larvae. At the end of their legs are sponge-like patches of hairs.

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Reticulitermes flavipes, U, face
Reticulitermes flavipes, U, face
Reticulitermes flavipes, U, face

Reticulitermes flavipes, Eastern Subterranean Termite, worker, Beltsville, Maryland, floating in hand sanitizer

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Rhinocyllus, U, back, U
Rhinocyllus, U, back, U
Rhinocyllus, U, back, U

Rhinocyllus conicus, the Eurasian flower head weevil, infests flower heads of Pitcher's thistle at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Its presence was first discovered in 2012. The weevil is a biocontrol agent for musk thistle, Carduus nutans. Picture by Wayne Boo.

Rhinocyllus conicus, the Eurasian flower head weevil, infests flower heads of Pitcher's thistle at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Its presence was first discovered in 2012. The weevil is a biocontrol agent for musk thistle, Carduus nutans. Picture by Wayne Boo.

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Rhinocyllus, U, face, U
Rhinocyllus, U, face, U
Rhinocyllus, U, face, U

Rhinocyllus conicus, the Eurasian flower head weevil, infests flower heads of Pitcher's thistle at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Its presence was first discovered in 2012. The weevil is a biocontrol agent for musk thistle, Carduus nutans. Picture by Wayne Boo.

Rhinocyllus conicus, the Eurasian flower head weevil, infests flower heads of Pitcher's thistle at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Its presence was first discovered in 2012. The weevil is a biocontrol agent for musk thistle, Carduus nutans. Picture by Wayne Boo.

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Rhinocyllus, U, side, U
Rhinocyllus, U, side, U
Rhinocyllus, U, side, U

Rhinocyllus conicus, the Eurasian flower head weevil, infests flower heads of Pitcher's thistle at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Its presence was first discovered in 2012. The weevil is a biocontrol agent for musk thistle, Carduus nutans. Picture by Wayne Boo.

Rhinocyllus conicus, the Eurasian flower head weevil, infests flower heads of Pitcher's thistle at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Its presence was first discovered in 2012. The weevil is a biocontrol agent for musk thistle, Carduus nutans. Picture by Wayne Boo.

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Rhinoncomimus latipes, face
Rhinoncomimus latipes, face
Rhinoncomimus latipes, face

Mile-a-minute weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes, this weevil has been brought into North America to contol Polygonum perfoliatum, the mile-a-minute weed. Bob Trumble from Maryland's Department of Agriculture dropped off a few of these minute (about 1.5mm) babies and we photographed them using out 10x lens set up.

Mile-a-minute weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes, this weevil has been brought into North America to contol Polygonum perfoliatum, the mile-a-minute weed. Bob Trumble from Maryland's Department of Agriculture dropped off a few of these minute (about 1.5mm) babies and we photographed them using out 10x lens set up.

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Rhinoncomimus latipes, side
Rhinoncomimus latipes, side
Rhinoncomimus latipes, side

Mile-a-minute weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes, this weevil has been brought into North America to contol Polygonum perfoliatum, the mile-a-minute weed. Bob Trumble from Maryland's Department of Agriculture dropped off a few of these minute (about 1.5mm) babies and we photographed them using out 10x lens set up.

Mile-a-minute weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes, this weevil has been brought into North America to contol Polygonum perfoliatum, the mile-a-minute weed. Bob Trumble from Maryland's Department of Agriculture dropped off a few of these minute (about 1.5mm) babies and we photographed them using out 10x lens set up.

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Rhododendron periclymenoides 2, Pinxter Azalea
Rhododendron periclymenoides 2, Pinxter Azalea
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Rhododendron periclymenoides, Pinxter Azalea
Rhododendron periclymenoides, Pinxter Azalea
Rhododendron periclymenoides, Pinxter Azalea

Here is one of the native azaleas...with the lovely name Pinxter (Rhododendron periclymenoides).

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Rhynchomitra, back
Rhynchomitra, back
Rhynchomitra, back

Rhynchomitra species, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, August 2012, Planthopper

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Rhynchomitra, face
Rhynchomitra, face
Rhynchomitra, face

Rhynchomitra species, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, August 2012, Planthopper

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Ripiphorus species, U, face, Tennessee, Blount County
Ripiphorus species, U, face, Tennessee, Blount County
Ripiphorus species, U, face, Tennessee, Blount County

Great Smoky Mountains National ParkDoug Yanega has identified this as one of the wedge-shaped beetles in the Genus Ripiphorus. Several people have suggested that this be given the common name the Andy Rooney Beetle.

Great Smoky Mountains National ParkDoug Yanega has identified this as one of the wedge-shaped beetles in the Genus Ripiphorus. Several people have suggested that this be given the common name the Andy Rooney Beetle.

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Ritually Killed Gorget, 33A A2
Ritually Killed Gorget, 33A A2
Ritually Killed Gorget, 33A A2

A Series: This is a set of slate gorgets and fragments there of. This fragment was found along the banks of the Patuxent River in Maryland but the slate is from Central Ohio. Other artifacts indicate that this site had been used for thousands of years as a ritual site by Adena culture Indians with numerous items brought in from Ohio (imagine that!).

A Series: This is a set of slate gorgets and fragments there of. This fragment was found along the banks of the Patuxent River in Maryland but the slate is from Central Ohio. Other artifacts indicate that this site had been used for thousands of years as a ritual site by Adena culture Indians with numerous items brought in from Ohio (imagine that!).

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