Images

Cleaning up my backlog....the head of a very small Chrysidid Wasp...a nest parasite or cleptoparasite of other insects...often bees and wasps. Maryland. Picture taken by Brooke Alexander

Always good for a lingering look is the glitzy Chrysidid Wasp group. I am not sure what species this is but it was found during Adirondack ATBI bioblitz this past week and was used to demonstrate the camera set up for the crowd. A nest parasite, usually of hymenoptera, one has to wonder ... why so metallic Mr. Wasp? Stack taken by Dejen Mengis.

20X Lens Tests. I am posting 3 pictures taken with a "new" 20X Mitutoyo Plan Apo Infinity Corrected Long WD Microscope Objective attached to an old 200mm Pentax lens. This allows me to start getting into some extreme stack territory. That said this lens new is over $2000.00 U.S. However, I found a scratched one on Ebay for $300.00.

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Another Chrysidid wasp (cuckoo wasp) from the Hart-Miller Dredge Spoil site in Baltimore Harbor, collected by Eugene Scarpulla, photographed by Brooke Alexander Identification by Lynn KimseyCanon 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, link to a .pdf of o

Chrysochus auratus, Indian Hemp Beetle, Beltsville, Maryland

Chrysochus auratus, dogbane beetle, Beltsvillle, Maryland, 2012

Chrysochus auratus, dogbane beetle, Beltsvillle, Maryland, 2012

Chrysocolletes species, Wavy-haired Bee, specimen collected by Laurence in Australia Another genus of bees whose range is restricted to Australia; five species are known, but three of them are only known from male specimens, the females remain unknown.

Chrysocolletes species, Wavy-haired Bee, specimen collected by Laurence in Australia Another genus of bees whose range is restricted to Australia; five species are known, but three of them are only known from male specimens, the females remain unknown.

Chrysocolletes species, Wavy-haired Bee, specimen collected by Laurence in Australia Another genus of bees whose range is restricted to Australia; five species are known, but three of them are only known from male specimens, the females remain unknown.

Golden-backed Snipe Fly, Collected by Francisco Posada, Laurel, Maryland

Golden-backed Snipe Fly, Collected by Francisco Posada, Laurel, Maryland

An aptly named Rubytail so pungently colored that I had to take its picture when I came across it in Laurence Packer's Lab. If only this were a little larger an entire Kyrgyz tourism industry could be developed around just this one species. Thanks to Alxndr Brg for the determination.

Roooooarrrrrr!, Danger, creature from the black lagoon. Or...not. Here we have a close up look at the many interesting features that are left behind when a cicada emerges. This one was in my backyard and left his/her full body suit behind on the shed.